6.

SOCIAL ISSUES
6.1. FOREIGN HIGHER EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS (FHEIS) IN INDIA
Why in news?
Recently, University Grants Commission (UGC)
released draft regulations for establishment of
foreign universities in India.
More on news
• In line with National Education Policy (NEP)
2020, the University Grants Commission
(UGC) has released draft UGC (Setting up and
Operation of Campuses of Foreign Higher
Educational Institutions in India)
Regulations, 2023.
• These regulations will regulate the entry and
operations of Foreign
Universities/Institutions in India to conduct
higher educational programmes and award
degrees, diplomas, and certificates in all
disciplines.

India’s current interaction with the global education ecosystem

From India to the World Collaboration
• Indian students studying abroad: According to Ministry
of Education (MoE), over 6.5 lakh Indian students went
abroad in 2022 to pursue higher education.
o Most Indian students preferred Canada, the
USA and UK to pursue degree courses.
From the World to India
• Brand India: India is promoting overseas operations of
IITs with the brand name “India International Institute of
Technology”.
• Study in India (SII): It is a flagship project of MoE to
encourage international students to study in
premier Indian institutes.

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Significance of FHEIs in India
• Increased access to quality education: NEP 2020 has a target of
50% Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in higher education by 2030
from present level of 27%. Foreign HEIs will help in filling this gap.
• Control of brain drain: FHEIs in India would help limit brain drain
by providing Indian students the opportunities to study and
research in India itself.
• Reduction in foreign exchange outflow: Nearly ₹5 billion was lost
in foreign exchange through students studying abroad in FY 2021-
2022.
o The requirement for FHEIs to establish campuses in India with
adequate physical infrastructure, will result in curbing this
outflow.
• Research opportunities: Stimulation to R&D in India and faculty
to faculty research collaboration among various universities.
• Improvement in Indian HEIs: Element of competition in higher
education sector will prompt improvement in quality and global
standing of Indian institutions.
o Only 8 Indian universities made it to top 400 in the QS World University Rankings 2022.
• India as a hub for higher education: India will attract students from different parts of the world, boosting India’s soft
power, apart from monetary benefits in form of inflow of foreign exchange.
• Establishment of associated ecosystem: Arrival of international students will give rise to associated industries such
as rental housing, restaurants, part-time job opportunities, gig economy etc.
o Industry-academia linkage will significantly strengthen due to strong emphasis on such partnerships in best
ranking FHEIs.
Concerns from FHEIs
• Commodification of higher education: The entry of foreign universities may lead to a cultural shift towards a profit
making ideology. Thus, valuing education solely from the perspective of return on investment.
• High cost of learning leading to exclusion of vulnerable sections: In the absence of reservation and quota-based
scholarships in FHEIs, those seeking quota benefits, will be confined to state-funded universities.
o Students with better financial resources will afford to have quality education in FHEIs and have higher
employability while disadvantaged students will lack in this regard.
• Competition for human and other resources: FHEIs would compete with Indian HEIs for teachers, researchers,
technicians and other resources like land. In the short term, this could create an issue of scarcity in some Indian HEIs.
• Language barriers: FHEIs will impart education only in English, driving up prospects for English education. This will be
a pushback for language-inclusive higher education.
• Repatriation of profits earned from India to their home countries is a concern. As presently, FHEIs consider India as
a market for sourcing students.
• Western influences: There are dangers of attempts from western countries to shape India’s education sector in line
with their interests or values, provoking erosion of cultural and linguistic diversity.
Way Forward
• Creating collaborative structure between Indian Universities and FHEIs: This would ensure that rather than
competing, they complement each other vis-à-vis research, industry engagement or academic competitions etc.
o Collaboration can increase cross-cultural, multi-disciplinary learning, and expansion of international reputation of
Indian institutes.
• Collaboration among Indian Institutions: Several Indian institutions can establish a network of collaboration among
themselves for effective resource management, better research possibilities, financial prowess etc.
o Such collaboration can be seen in other countries such as Ivy League in USA, Russell Group in UK, C9 League in
China etc.
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• International accreditation for Indian HEIs: Top notch Indian institutions can diversify themselves by obtaining
international accreditation to boost their international reputation.
• Government support to vulnerable sections: To reduce socio-economic inequalities, Government can provide
scholarships to students from backward classes and marginalized sections for studying in Indian campuses of FHEIs.
• Streamlining the regulatory ecosystem for involvement of FHEIs: There is a need to evolve regulatory mechanisms
with respect to academics, landholding, taxation, and faculty recruitments. It should also provide level playing field
for Indian HEIs.
o Proposed Higher Education Commission of India (HECI) can be granted statutory responsibilities for determining
standards and uniform guidelines on Indian and Foreign HEIs.
o NAAC’s benchmark for assessing universities can be extended to those FHEIs which are setting up campuses in
India.
Related News
NAAC releases new benchmark to access varsities, autonomous
college
• National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) released
the benchmarks it has set for universities and autonomous
colleges.
o NAAC was established in 1994 as an autonomous institution
of the University Grants Commission (UGC), with its
Headquarters in Bengaluru, Karnataka.
o The mandate of NAAC is to make quality assurance as an
integral part of the functioning of Higher Education
Institutions (HEIs).
• HEIs have been grouped under three categories namely,
Universities, Autonomous Colleges and Affiliated/Constituent
Colleges.

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6.2. NATIONAL DIGITAL UNIVERSITY (NDU)
Why in news? Samarth Portal
Framework of National Digital University (NDU), as envisioned • Sponsored by Ministry of Education, Project Samarth
under the National Education Policy, 2020 was revealed. under the National Mission on Education through
Information and Communication Technology,
What is NDU and its framework? NMEICT-II (now NMEICT-III) scheme in 2019.
NDU is a university designed to bring together various higher • It integrates technology and allows HEIs to deploy a
educational institutions (HEIs) for providing online higher digital framework for planning, management,
educational courses. delivery, and monitoring of education services in a
seamless manner.
Following is the framework for NDU:
• Online Courses: The university will offer exclusively online courses from its partner institutes (both private and public
universities).
• Functioning Model: NDU will function under a hub-and-spoke model. The courses will be made accessible to students
from the single platform - Study Webs of Active-Learning for Young Aspiring Minds (SWAYAM) portal.
o IT and administrative services will be provided through the government’s Samarth portal.
• Courses type: The students can opt for
certificate, diploma, or degree courses.
o Autonomy to design curriculum:
Students will have the liberty to sign up
for multiple courses form different HEIs
and design their own curriculum.
o Credit based university degree: Courses
will hold a certain number of credits, and
students will be eligible for a degree from
a particular institute on accumulating
50% of the credits.
o NDU degree: If a student earns credits
from multiple institutions and crosses
the credit threshold, the degree awarded
will be by NDU.
• Number of seats: There will be an unlimited
number of seats for every course, solving the
problem of limited number of seats in higher education institutes.
• ABC system: NDU will use a standardised Academic Bank of Credits (ABC) system, established by the University
Grants Commission (UGC) to facilitate academic mobility.
Significance of NDU
• Fulfilment of skilling needs: Constant need of skill upgrades in a rapidly developing and dynamic industry landscape.
o The 2015 Report on National Policy on Skill Development and Entrepreneurship had estimated that only 4.7% of
the total workforce in India had undergone formal skill training.
• Increases access to higher education: It solves the problem of limited access to seats within the higher education
ecosystem.
• Completion of education: Flexibility in completing higher education due to multiple entry and exit options.
o Presently, there is a gap in enrolment and completion of education in digital mode. For instance, less than 4% of
enrolled students in SWAYAM courses completed their courses.
• Increase in employability: It will allow school pass-outs and working professionals to pursue multi-disciplinary
careers fulfilling modern industrial demand for enhanced professional growth.
o Presently, only 45.9% of college graduates are considered employable (2021 India Skills Report).
• Significant for social sector: NDU can be utilized also for healthcare and welfare initiatives such as skilling and
training of ASHA workers, enhancing digital literacy and financial literacy of vulnerable sections.
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Challenges with NDU
• Concerns on credibility of courses: There are concerns regarding the credibility and usefulness of the programme as
course curriculum can be freely designed by the students.
o Ambiguity on whether industry recognizes equivalence between traditional degree programs and digital degree
programs or not.
• Difficulties in standardised evaluation: Concerns have been raised regarding modes of standardised evaluation and
how it will be carried out for a large number of students and different course combinations.
• Potential compromise in quality of education: Concept of unlimited number of seats has raised concerns regarding
dilution of quality of education.
• Lack of practical skills development: Educators are also concerned about the lack of experiences and skills in the
absence of environment of a physical institution, such as interactions with fellow students and professors and
acquiring skills like academic discussion and critical reasoning.
o Practical learning and training are not feasible for various courses in the online learning mode.
• Digital divide: Gaps in digital infrastructure in rural areas and among vulnerable sections of society is a major
challenge which will pose accessibility problems.
Way Forward
• Strengthening Industry-academia linkages in the NDU can help in preparing curated multi-disciplinary courses for
ensuring higher employability and skill recognition. This would directly attest the value and usefulness of the courses.
• Peer learning communities can be formed, which promote feedback and competition among students. This will
enhance their learning experience and development of practical skills.
• Digital India Initiative can be effectively leveraged for filling digital infrastructure gaps to enable accessibility and
affordability among vulnerable sections and rural areas.
o Governments can provide financial assistance and technological assistance (such as access to laptops, mobile
devices) to vulnerable sections of society.
• Collaborations with edtech platforms can be promoted in early stages to incorporate emerging technologies and
promoting personalized learnings through Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML) and Virtual Reality
(VR)/Augmented Reality (AR).
• Communication network and engagement mechanisms between students and counsellors/faculties/professionals
should be established. This would improve course completion rates and emulate the offline mode to a greater degree.
Related News
PARAKH
• The National Council for Education Research and Training (NCERT) has notified India’s first national assessment regulator,
PARAKH (Performance Assessment, Review and Analysis of Knowledge for Holistic Development).
o The Educational Testing Service (ETS), which
administers international tests like TOEFL, TOEIC,
GRE, and PISA among others in more than 180
countries, has won the bid to set up PARAKH.
• PARAKH has been launched as part of the
implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP)-
2020.
• PARAKH will work on
o Setting norms, standards and guidelines for student
assessment and
o Evaluation for all recognised school boards in the
country.
• PARAKH will be responsible for conducting large-scale
assessments, including National Achievement Survey (NAS), State Achievement Survey (SAS) and monitor achievement of
learning outcomes in the country.
• PARAKH will closely work with the state directorates of education, state education boards and international organizations
working in assessment and evaluation.

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6.3. EDUCATIONAL REPORTS IN NEWS
6.3.1. ALL INDIA SURVEY ON HIGHER EDUCATION (AISHE) 2020-2021
• Ministry of Education (MoE) released All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) 2020-2021.
• AISHE has been conducted since 2011 by MoE covering all higher educational institutions located in country.
o It collects detailed information on different educational parameters.
o For the first time, Survey collected data using an entirely online data collection platform through Web Data
Capture Format (DCF).
o DCF was developed by Department of Higher Education through the National Informatics Centre (NIC)
• Key Findings:
Specification 2020-21 Trend w.r.t 2014-15
Total student enrollment: UP, Maharashtra, TN, MP, Karnataka and 4.14 crore 21% rise
Rajasthan are top 6 States in terms of number of student enrolled.
Female enrolment 2.01 crore 28% rise
Percentage of female enrolment to total enrolment 49% 4% rise
Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER): Percentage of students belonging to 27.3 3-point rise
eligible age group (18-23 years) enrolled in Higher Education
Gender Parity Index (GPI): Ratio of female GER to male GER Increased from 1 in ----
2017-18 to 1.05
• Institutes of National Importance (INIs) • 149 • Almost doubled (75)
• Enrolment in INIs • 61 % • Increased
Female per 100 male faculty 75 Increased (63)

6.3.2. ANNUAL STATUS OF EDUCATION

REPORT (ASER) 2022
• Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) 2022 was
released by NGO Pratham.
• ASER (first conducted in 2005) is an annual, citizen-led
household survey to understand whether children in
rural India are enrolled in school and whether they
are learning.
o Whereas, National Achievement Survey (NAS) is
undertaken by Ministry of Education. It provides
structured feedback on student learning levels at
District, State, and national levels.
• ASER 2022 is first field-based 'basic' nationwide ASER
since 2018.
o In ASER 2022, around 7 lakh children in age group
of 3 to 16 years were surveyed to record their
schooling status and assess their basic reading
and arithmetic skills.

6.4. DRAFT NATIONAL MEDICAL COMMISSION (AMENDMENT) BILL-2022

Why in News?
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) has proposed a draft amendment, to the existing National Medical
Commission Act-2019.
Key Highlights of the draft bill
• It proposes for setting up a Fifth Autonomous Board, namely Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences, under
National Medical Commission.
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• It proposes to bring the accreditation of the diploma, diploma and postgraduate fellowship, and super-specialty
fellowships institutes under the proposed Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences.
• It aims to alter the jurisdiction of cases filed, by Medical Colleges or institutions, in matter related to National Medical
Commission and bring them all under
Reasons for the introduction of amendments
jurisdiction of Delhi High Court (HC) only.
• To Streamline the process: The proposed board is to replace the
• In cases of medical negligence a new existing National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences, which
provision for patients and their relatives is currently conducts the NEET-PG and the Exit tests.
provided by making the Ethics and Medical • To reduce the delays: Citing the delays in past PG admission cycles,
Registration Board or the National various Resident Doctors Associations have requested to set up a
Medical Commission as the appellate separate body to reduce the delays.
body against decisions of the State medical • To facilitate introduction of NeXT: The proposed Board will facilitate
council. the common exit test, which is for all the final year students and for the
students from abroad, to get them registered in the National register
Issues in NMC and its functions of licensed practitioners.
• Subjugates Federalism: The nomination of • To ease the litigation burden: By altering the jurisdiction limits to Delhi
HC, the Commission which is marred with litigations from various parts
important functionaries of the NMC rests
of the country can function better.
exclusively with the Centre and this
• To appeal Over State Councils decisions: The act provides for an appeal
reduces the role of states in the mechanism by making Ethics and Medical Registration Board or the
commission. National Medical Commission as the appellate body, over the
• Lack of Co-ordination between various decisions of the State Medical Councils in cases of medical negligence.
bodies: The exam is currently a multi-
headed process, which makes it cumbersome for students who reattempt the entrance exams.
o The National Testing Agency conducts NEET-UG, National Board of Examination conducts NEET-PG and
Screening tests, while the admission counselling is carried out by Medical Counselling Committee which is
independent of NMC.
• Lack of autonomy: Some critics argue that the NMC lacks the necessary autonomy to function effectively, as it is
beholden to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, which has the power to interfere with its decisions.
• Accreditation standards: The accreditation process emphasizes on documentation of infrastructure and human
resources (head counting) rather than measuring the quality of medical education and outcomes.
• Issues in Medical Education:
o Low Doctor to Patient Ratio: The Current Doctor to Patient ration is at 1:1511 (as compared to WHO’s
recommendation of 1:1000).
o Privatization of medical colleges: Private medical colleges account for most of the newly created medical seats
thereby making medical education a distant dream for marginalized sections of the society.
Way forward
• Creating a separate autonomous body for Medical admission Counselling: A separate ‘Board of Counsellors or
Counselling’ should be constituted under NMC, for medical admission process and eliminate confusion which arose
recently, leading to wastage of medical seats.
• Voluntary and grade based NEXT exam: If at all, an exit exam was to be given, it should have been made voluntary
and grade-based. So, if a MBBS practitioner wants grade-accredited, he/she could have taken it, as is the precedent
in some countries.
• Creating an SOP for medical students from abroad: The Government should make provisions easier for students
from abroad, to return back and serve for the country and also provide a backup plan, if in case they couldn’t complete
the course in the foreign country, as happened to the students from Ukraine.
• Timely audits of the institutes and professionals: Regular Inspection should be done with doctors’ designated bodies
and practitioners to keep it corruption free.
• Increasing stakeholder’s involvement: In order to ensure fair decision making all stakeholders should be given the
importance and also the role of state should be increased.
• Other suggestions for medical education in India
o To re-evaluate and create an efficient accreditation system;
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 o To promote an equal distribution of resources,
o To redesign curricula with stricter implementation and improved assessment methodologies.

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6.5. EUTHANASIA
Why in News?
Recently, Supreme Court simplified its rules
on passive euthanasia.
Background
• In a 2018 judgement (Common Cause v
Union of India), SC had recognised the
right to die with dignity as an
inextricable facet of the right to live with
dignity under Article 21 of the
Constitution
o It had, accordingly, upheld the legal
validity of passive euthanasia.
• It was argued that the directions had
become virtually unenforceable owing
to the complexity of the procedure
prescribed by SC.
o Thus, necessary amendments
were sought to make the
judgement ‘workable’.
• Accordingly, several changes were
introduced by the five-judge bench
in the guidelines laid down in 2018
with respect to the execution and
enforcement of advance care
directives, as well as the procedure
for passive euthanasia.

Other aspects of Now Earlier

the Judgment
Surrogate More than one guardian or close relative can be Only one guardian or close relative was to be named.
decision-maker named. Before a final opinion, the consent of the guardian or
Before a final opinion consent of all the nominees close relative would also be taken.
will be taken.
Role of district This requirement has been deleted. Judicial magistrate to forward a copy of the document to
court registry the registry of the jurisdictional district court, which
would have to retain the document in the original format.
Ascertaining Treating physician to execute the advance Treating physician had to execute the advance directive
authenticity directive after ascertaining its authenticity with after ascertaining its authenticity from the judicial
reference to the digital records of the executor, magistrate.
or from the custodian of the document
appointed by the local government body.
Appeal before If permission to withdraw treatment was denied a If permission to withdraw treatment was denied a writ
High Court writ petition at the jurisdictional High Court can petition at the jurisdictional High Court can be filed.
be filed.
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Arguments in favour of Euthanasia
• Right to self-determination: Human beings should be
free to make decisions about their own lives. This is
especially true if they are facing a terminal illness from
which there is no chance of recovery.
• Caregivers burden: Majority of such petitions are filed
by the sufferers or family members or their caretakers.
Caregiver's burden cuts across various domains such as
financial, emotional, time etc.
• Right to die with dignity: Allowing people to ‘die with
dignity’ is kinder than forcing them to continue their
lives with suffering.
• Encouraging organ transplantation: It provides an
opportunity to advocate for organ donation. This in turn
will help many patients with organ failure waiting for
transplantation.
• Can be regulated: If it’s legal then the process can be
controlled, including proper safeguards and checks to
ensure this is really what the person wants.
Arguments against Euthanasia
• Eliminating the invalid: Euthanasia opposers argue
that if we embrace ‘the right to death with dignity’,
people with incurable and debilitating illnesses will be
disposed from our civilised society.
• Malafide intention: There is a possibility of misusing
euthanasia by family members or relatives for
inheriting the property of the patient.
• Devaluation of life: Euthanasia weakens society’s
respect for the sanctity of life as it leaves open various
dangerous loopholes for exploitation, leading to the
disposability of human existence.
• Commercialisation of health care: If euthanasia is legalised,
then commercial health sector will serve death sentence to
many disabled and elderly citizens of India for meagre amount
of money.
• Against Hippocratic oath: To ask that doctors, nurses or any
other health professional carry out euthanasia or assist in a
suicide would be a violation of fundamental medical ethics,
namely the Hippocratic oath.
Conclusion
Euthanasia is something that cannot be always just looked at
logically; there are many emotions involved as well. Each individual
also has the right to make their own decisions when it comes to
something of such a severe nature.
However, there is a need to focus on the procedures that helps the
patient to get rid of the pain and not only does it stop the suffering
of the person but also ends the suffering of the patient’s family
members. Also, proper attention should also be given to stop possible misuse of any such arrangement.

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6.6. NEWS IN SHORTS
6.6.1. WORLD SOCIAL REPORT 2023: LEAVING NO ONE BEHIND IN AN AGEING WORLD
• It is a flagship publication of Department of Economic o Policies to reduce inequality and promote
and Social Affairs of United Nations Secretariat. economic security at older ages in a fiscally
o Report builds on framework of Madrid sustainable manner.
International Plan of Action on Ageing (MIPAA) • Other global initiatives for older people
and explores social and economic opportunities o UN Principles for Older Persons, 1991
and challenges that population ageing presents. o UN designated 2021- 2030 as Decade of Healthy
✓ MIPAA was adopted at second World Ageing
Assembly on Ageing in April 2002.
• Key Findings
o Number of persons aged 65 years or older is
expected to double over next three decades
surpassing 1.6 billion in 2050 (accounting for more
than 16% of global population).
o Northern Africa and Western Asia and sub-
Saharan Africa are expected to experience fastest
growth.
o Poverty levels at older ages are typically higher
among women, due to lower levels of participation
in formal labour markets, shorter working careers
and lower wages compared to men.
• Recommendations
o Promote labour market participation, increase
productivity, uphold good health and prevent
poverty throughout people’s lifetimes.

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6. SOCIAL ISSUES
6.1. FOUNDATIONAL LITERACY AND NUMERACY (FLN)
Why in news?
The second edition of the Foundational Literacy and Numeracy
report of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-
PM) has been released.
About the report
• It was prepared by the Institute for Competitiveness (IFC) — the
Indian wing of the Institute for Strategy and Competitiveness at
Harvard Business School.
• Report presented an index on the overall state of FLN across
children aged below ten years.
• It compares states on 36 indicators across five key domains that
have been mapped with key Sustainable Development Goals or
SDGs also (refer to the
infographics).
About Foundational Literacy and
Numeracy (FLN)
• FLN refers to basic skills in
reading, writing, and
mathematics.
• It is the ability to read and
understand a basic text and
perform simple
mathematical calculations by
the end of grade 3.
• This becomes the foundation
for all future learning upon
which other skills are built
(refer to the infographics).
• National Education Policy
(NEP) 2020 accords the
highest importance to the
achievement of FLN.
• The Ministry of Education has
launched a national mission
for FLN ‘NIPUN Bharat
(National Initiative for
Proficiency in Reading with Understanding and Numeracy)’ for ensuring that every child in the country necessarily
attains FLN by the end of Grade 3, by 2026-27.
Key findings of the report
Literacy Numeracy States’ performance
• Punjabi language has the best • 42% of the students surveyed • Key high performing states
performance with 51% of the students across India meet the global o Punjab topped all key indicators.
exceeding global proficiency level (GPL) minimum proficiency, and 37% o Rajasthan and Sikkim also
partially meet the global performed well in some parameters
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 • Only Telugu and Mizo have more than minimum proficiency level in • Key underperforming states:
30% students who meet GPL mathematics. Meghalaya, Telangana and Uttar
• Tamil, Konkani, Assamese and Bodo • Higher percentage of girl Pradesh performed poorly on various
language have the poorest student’s performed low as parameters
performance compared to the boys

Challenges in achieving FLN

• Historical negligence: Foundational
Literacy in India has been marginalised
for decades and has begun to receive the
much-needed focus and attention, post
the launch of the NIPUN Bharat Mission.
• Understanding of FLN: There is a lack of
convergence between NEP and NIPUN
Bharat Mission regarding what FLN
entails and up to what grades does it
cover.
• Language of instructions: In various
private schools in India, priority is given
to English language even at preschool
level.
• Availability of teachers: The foundational education depends on the teaching methods and how the students are
taught.
o However, 19% of the teaching positions lie vacant in India. In rural areas, the vacancy is 69% (2021 ‘State of the
Education Report for India’, by UNESCO).
• Digital divide: Between 2020 to 2022, only 41.3% of
schools had access to computers and 24.5% to the
internet.
• Learning loss due to pandemic: Due to closure of schools,
children could not get the adequate opportunity for
attaining FLN even though they are promoted to higher
classes.
• Malnutrition: Malnutrition during early childhood can
lead to lifelong developmental delays and disabilities,
affecting child development and learning and adult
productivity and earning.
• Poor infrastructure: Availability of basic amenities like
drinking water, toilets among others are very important
aid to learning process.
o Yet, only 19 states have scored above national average 67.12
in the educational infrastructure pillar.
Way ahead to achieve universal FLN
• Familiar language as medium of instruction: Foundational
learning programmes must take into account needs of both
mother language and second language learner.
• Interpersonal interactions: Meaningful interpersonal interactions between the teacher and the child is particularly
useful for children from demographically diverse homes.
• Skilled teachers: Government should identify and recruit language teachers from every community, so teachers are
available for students with different mother tongues.
o It should be complemented with capacity building of existing teachers and Anganwadi workers.

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• Retention of skilled teachers: The working conditions of the schools, including basic amenities, libraries, and
technology access, need to be improved.
• Home learning: Verbal environments influence and make learning a language more effective and smooth, the capacity
building of parents has to be addressed and taken into account.
o For instance, in Turkey, evaluations of an intensive parenting intervention that combined home training for
mothers with either a centre based or custodial day care program was tried.
o It showed a strong correlation between mothers’ participation in the programme and children’s scores on
cognitive assessments.
• Improving Internet penetration: According to a UNICEF report in 2022, countries with a higher internet access rate
at home tend to have a higher share of children with foundational reading skills.
• Opportunity to Catch up: Students suffering from learning loss due to pandemic should be given the adequate
learning opportunity by expanding the scope of FLN beyond grade 3.
• Improving nutrition: Knowledge about children's nutrition can be incorporated in schools, allowing children to realize
the importance of good food and healthy eating habits and form them on their own from an early age.
o Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 scheme is the positive initiative to improve the nutritional outcome among
kids and adolescent girls along with Pregnant and lactating mothers.
• Improving infrastructure: States must have a better-shared understanding of how the design of school infrastructure
affects vocational learning outcomes.
o It will increase the efficiency of the resources invested in school infrastructure projects and also enhance
cooperation between stakeholders for development of school infrastructure.
Related information
Report Released by Class Methodology Frequency
Annual Status NGO Pratham Estimates of children’s Face to face interactions with Annually
of Education schooling status for all children and teachers in rural
Report (ASER) children aged 3-16 India annually
National Ministry of Education Evaluates learning MCQs based, conducted Once every
Achievement outcomes of students in three years
Survey (NAS) Classes III, V, VIII and X
Foundational Institute for --- Data from: UDISE+, NSSO, Once every two
literacy and Competitiveness (IFC), and NFHS, NAS, budget years (Biennial)
numeracy (FLN) EAC-PM (Economic Advisory
report Council to Prime Minister)
Foundational MoE and NCERT in Only for grade III students One-to-one interviews with --
Learning Study collaboration with each participant
(FLS) States/UTs and supported
by UNICEF

6.2. PARTICULARLY VULNERABLE TRIBAL GROUPS (PVTG’S)

Why in News?
In the 2023-24 Union Budget, Pradhan Mantri PVTG (Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups) Development Mission
(PMPDM) was announced for the socioeconomic development of the group.
About PMPDM Mission
• It has been launched as part of ‘Reaching the Last Mile’, one of the seven Saptarishi priorities enlisted in the Budget.
o ₹15,000 crore will be made available to implement the Mission in the next three years under the Development
Action Plan for the Scheduled Tribes.
• It will empower the particularly vulnerable tribal groups with safe housing, clean drinking water, education,
nutrition, road and telecom connection and livelihood.

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Need of the PMPDM for the PVTG’s
About Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs)
• Social: PVTG’s are trapped in the • PVTG (earlier known as Primitive Tribal Groups) is the category with in Scheduled
various social problems like Tribes created on the recommendation of Dhebar commission (1973).
illiteracy, displacements etc. • In 1975, Government of India declared 52 tribal group as PVTG’s. While in 1993
o Literacy rate is considerably an additional 23 groups were added to the category, making it a total of 75
PVTGs out of 705 Scheduled Tribes.
low, ranging from 10% to
• PVTGs reside in 17 States and UT of Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
44%.
• The highest number of PVTGs are found in Odisha (13) followed by Andhra
✓ Female literacy rate is Pradesh (12)).
much lower. Criteria and Identification of PVTG’s
o Child marriages and • Government of India follows the following criteria for identification of PVTGs.
marriages before achieving o Pre-agricultural level of technology
legal benchmark are common o Low level of literacy
amongst PVTG’s. o Economic backwardness
o Due to development projects o A declining or stagnant population.
such as dams and mineral • States/UTs submit proposals to the Union Ministry of Tribal Welfare to declare
exploration, they are forced certain tribal communities as PVTG’s.
to displaced from their • If any tribal group fulfil the afore-mentioned criteria, then it is declared as the
PVTG by the Ministry.
ancestral land.
• Demographic: Although PVTGs
are slowly witnessing decadal increase in their population,
quite a few still face stagnation such as the Birhor in central
India.
o Some PVTG’s are on the edge of extinction such as Onge
and Andamanese.
o They also face “Triple Burden of Diseases” which includes
high rates of malnutrition, communicable diseases like
TB, Leprosy and rising non-communicable diseases like
cancer and diabetes.
• Economic: The main source of their livelihood includes food
gathering, Non-Timber Forest Produce (NTFP), hunting,
livestock rearing, shifting cultivation and artisan works.
o Due to degradation of forest and several restrictions
from the forest authorities their livelihood is
threatened.
• Cultural: The distinct cultural identity of the PVTG’s has been
eroded over the period of time due to globalisation etc.
• Politico-administrative: Their representation in political
sphere and administration is minimal (Both at national and state level).
• Environmental/Ecological: PVTG’s are the biggest sufferer of the of climate change and other related issues.
• Other: The Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006 provides for only 4 hectares land allocation to them.
o Ownership is only for land that is actually being cultivated by the concerned family and no new lands will be
granted.
o Also, the PESA (Panchayat Extension to Scheduled Areas Act) has not been operationalised adequately in areas
with PVTGs.
Other Initiatives for PVTG’s
• Indigenous and Tribal Populations Convention, 1957 has been adopted by the International Labour Organisation (ILO).
• Programmes and initiatives have been launched under Five Year Plans such as Community Development Program,
Multipurpose Tribal Blocks, Tribal Development Block, Tribal sub-Plan (TSP) etc.
• Restricted Area Permit system was implemented under the Foreigners (Restricted Areas) Order, 1963.
• Scheme for Development of Primitive Vulnerable Tribal Groups (2008)
o It gives state governments flexibility in planning initiatives.
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 o Activities covered include housing, land distribution and development, agriculture, roads, energy, etc.
o Additional Funds are available for activities not already funded by any other Scheme of the centre/state.
o A long-term Conservation-cum-Development Plan for five years for each PVTG to be established by States.
o The Scheme is funded entirely by the Central government.
Way Forward
• Fair Implementation: The mission should be implemented in letter and spirit. PVTG’s needs to consulted before the
implementation of the Mission.
o Considering their notion or meaning of development is necessary.
• Extensive Surveys: As regular census is not conducted, State governments must urgently conduct extensive surveys
to gather accurate demographic and socio-economic figures of the PVTGs.
o This will help in policy formulation.
• Updation of PVTG List: Some of the PVTGs are distributed in more than one State. The Birhor are recognised as a
PVTG in four States, while 10 other group are PVTG in two States, namely the Sahariya, Kurumba, Koraga, Korwa,
JenuKuruba, Kattunayakan, Katkari/Kathodi, Kharia, Kolam, and Lodha.
• Recognition of Rights: The rights pertaining to their land and custormary rituals needs to recognised by the
government. It help them in building trust on government and connecting with the main stream society.
o State governments must recognise PVTGs habitat rights over revenue land using the PESA.

6.3. MANUAL SCAVENGING

Why in news?
Kerala became the first state in the country to use robotic technology to clean all its commissioned
manholes.
More on news
• The robotic scavenger ‘Bandicoot’ to clean sewages
functions in a similar way such as a person.
• It enters the manhole, removes sewage using robotic
hands, and releases it at the designated site.
• Also, it has features of being waterproof, HD vision
cameras, and sensors that can detect harmful gases
inside the manholes.
About Manual scavenging
• Manual scavenging is the dehumanising practice of
manually cleaning and handling of human
excreta from dry latrines, sewers, septic tanks,
railway lines, etc. with basic tools like brooms.
• It is a primarily caste-based-forced occupation
in India.
• There are at present approximately 58,098
“eligible manual scavengers” across the
country.
• Eradication of manual scavenging is a very
crucial factor for attaining various Sustainable
development Goals (SDGs).
• It not only goes against various international
conventions but also India’s legislative as well
as constitutional mandates (refer to the
infographics).

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Reasons underlying persistence of
the practice of manual scavenging
• Informal economy: This makes
their identification and
providing associated rights
difficult.
• Weak law: Cleaning of human
excreta with the help of
protective gear is not
considered manual scavenging
under the MS Act, 2013.
• Ineffective implementation:
The practice of manual
scavenging was banned in
1993. However, due to lax
implementation of law, this
practice is still prevalent.
• Water scarcity: Some of the
rural settlements in India lack
proper water supply because of
which people are forced to
manually remove excreta from
the toilets.
• Restoration and
rehabilitation: Complexity of
procuring loan through
different schemes of NSKFDC
further alienates them from
taking loans for restoration and
rehabilitation.
• Lack of voice: People involved
in the act of manual scavenging
are not organised into some
right groups like trade unions.
o Also, they come from a
highly deprived section of
the society which
perpetuates their
exploitation.
• Absence of mechanisation: Septic tanks are designed in such a way that they could be cleaned only manually.
Way ahead for eradicating manual scavenging
Eliminate the demand
• Scientific waste disposal: People throw bottles and all kinds of trash in the toilet that ends up clogging the sewer line.
Awareness campaign is needed against such disposal.
• Replicating Kerala model: It is being seen as a major step towards the use of technology-driven solutions for manhole
cleaning.
• Behavioural change: Information, Education and Communication (IEC) along with effective implementation of the
law is critical for enticing positive response from people against manual scavenging.
o Adequate provision for WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) is also necessary for such behvioural changes.
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Eliminate the supply
• Identification: Data in government surveys and other
reports contradict in terms of people engaged in this
work.
o Therefore, proper identification of such people is
necessary to address the gravity of the problem.
• Women empowerment: While working to rehabilitate
and support manual scavengers, one of the first steps
should be to recognise the women engaged in this work
and prioritise their needs.
• Ease of rehabilitation: Provisions of loan and skill
development should be easily accessible also there should
be a proper mechanism for easy legal help in case of
violation of the Act.
• Giving voice to voiceless: Manual Scavengers should be
mobilised into trade unions, self-help groups, co-
operatives and pressure groups to safeguard the interest
of the workers.
• Inclusive policy making: People with first-hand
experience can reveal the loopholes in the system. Hence, manual scavengers should be made the active stakeholders
in policy making.

6.4. GENDER BUDGETING

Why in News?
Recently, in Union Budget 2023, gender budgeting is pitched
as a powerful fiscal innovation for women’s empowerment.
More About News
• Government recognizes the importance of Nari Shakti
(women power) as the harbinger of our bright future and
for women-led development during the Amrit Kaal (the
25-year-long lead-up to India@100).
• Government focus is inclusive development, which is also
the first “saptarishis” or the seven principles guiding the
outlook.
• The estimated Gender Budget stood at 4.96% of the total
expenditure this year, compared to 4.33% 2022-23.
About Gender Budgeting (GB)
• It is a powerful tool for achieving gender mainstreaming
so as to ensure that benefits of development reach
women as much as men.
• It is not an accounting exercise but an ongoing process of
keeping a gender perspective in policy/ programme
formulation, its implementation and review.
• It entails dissection of the Government budgets to establish its gender differential impacts and to ensure that gender
commitments are translated into budgetary commitments.
• Benefits of GB:
o Addressing Gender Inequality: The rationale for gender budgeting is rooted in recognizing the fact that national
budgets affect men and women differently.
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 ✓ Women make up nearly half of India's population and lag behind men on many social indicators like health,
education, and economic opportunities.
o Promoting Inclusive Development: Gender budgeting can also contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable
Development Agenda 2030.
Challenges in Gender Budgeting
• Concentrated in 5 key ministries: Government data shows that between 2005-06 and 2019-20, India’s gender Budget
remained concentrated in five key Ministries and Departments: Rural Development, Women and Child Development,
Agriculture, Health and Family Welfare, and Education.
• Post-Covid-19 approach: Lack of focus on spending on issues that proved critical during the pandemic. As the gender
Budget remained 4.41% and 4.33% of the total budgetary expenditure.
• Limited quantum of gender budgeting: The quantum of gender budgeting has remained in the range of 4 to 6% of
the total expenditure and less than 1% of its GDP.
• In terms of methodology: Lack of a transparent mechanism that details weights attributable to various schemes under
gender budgeting.
Suggestions
• Process used for determining and reporting the estimates needs to change: It should be based on a roadmap
prepared by each ministry/department, which shows how they plan to meet gender needs and bridge existing gender
gaps.
• Diversify the number of ministries: It will help in proper targeting of various aspect of women empowerment.
• Availability of gender-specific data sets: Need to have proper segregated data for effective budget allocation and
monitoring.
• Improving the gender budget allocation: Based on women population of the country for effective implementation.
• Proper Budget allocation in Part A and Part B: There was a 228% hike in Part A of the Gender Budget compared to
last year, while Part B saw a 6% drop from 2022-23.

6.5. WOMEN IN WORKFORCE

Why in News?
President in her recent speech asserted that low
participation of women in the work force is a major
hindrance in the overall development of the
country.
Importance of Women in Work Force
• Economic Growth: According to a McKinsey
report if India achieved gender equality there
would be an increment to annual GDP growth by
1.4 per cent.
• Empowerment: According to the National
Family Health Survey (NFHS), Women’s decision-
making power in the household is more if they
are employed.
o It will also help in improving performance of
social indicators like Infant Mortality Rate
(IMR), Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR) etc.
• Diversity at work: Women participation in work
force will bring together different kinds of
energies that complement each other. They will promote multitasking, customer-centricity, teamwork, a nurturing
mindset etc.
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• Demographic Dividend: India’s median age is merely 28-30 years. A younger women workforce translates to an
advantage, energising fast-paced development and Discrepancy in Counting the Female Labour Force
growth. Participation Rate (FLFRR)
• Parity with Other Countries and Global Commitment: • Experts have highlighted three main measurement
The women earn far lesser than men in India when issues which leads reduce the overall FLFRR. These
compared to other countries like South Africa, Brazil and include
Chile. o Overly broad categories,
o Enhancement in women participation will help in o Reliance on a single question to categorise labour
achieving achievements Sustainable Development force status, and
o Narrow approach of limiting productive work to
Goals such as SDG 1 (No Poverty), SDG 5 (Gender
labour force participation.
Equality), SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic
• According to International Labour Organisation (ILO)
Growth) and SDG 10 (Reduced inequalities). research, female LFPR was 56.4 % in India for 2012,
Reason behind Low Participation of Women in Work Force against the far lower official estimate of 31.2 % for 2012.

• Social: Qualified women are unable to join the

labour market due to family responsibilities and
the need to conform to social norms.
o The migration trends from rural to urban are
still largely viewed as a male domain.
• Economic: India has been ranked at the 143rd place
in Economic Participation and Opportunity
indicator of Global Gender Gap (GGG) Index for
2022 (Released by World Economic Forum (WEF)).
o With the rise in household income the
participation of women in workforce has been
discouraged.
o Also, they are given employment in certain low
paying sectors such as basic agriculture, sales
and elementary services and handicraft
manufacturing. For this, the term ‘feminisation
of labour’ is being used.
• Educational: A higher percentage of males
compared to females have received
vocational/technical training.
o Moreover,
they are
given
training in
those sectors
which are
seen as a
traditionally
‘female
domain’, like
handlooms
and
apparels,
childcare,
nutrition,
pre-school,
and crèches.

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• Technological Advancement: Widespread gender digital divide is there, as per study, only 35 per cent of Indian
women are active internet users.
• Workplace harassment: It can take in various forms, such as sexual harassment, mental harassment, gender
discrimination etc.
• Prohibition of Certain Activities: The Factories Act prohibits female employees from cleaning, lubricating, or adjusting
machines, working near cotton openers, and working in operations deemed hazardous.
Way Forward
• Sensitisation: People need to be sensitised about the existing stereotypes on women.
• Inclusivity and Equity: Their representation in non-traditional areas such as Artificial Intelligence, etc. can be ensured
by inclusive ideas.
o Use of technology, promotion of incubation space, funding opportunities and setting up of upskilling centers
would nudge women to participate in the ongoing fourth industrial revolution (fusion of advance technologies
such as artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, the Internet of Things (IoT), etc.).
• Safety: Adequate safety measures should be taken such as panic button etc.
• Policy Making: Sound labour market information is essential for developing well-informed policies.

6.6. MENTAL HEALTHCARE

Why in news?
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) in a report flagged the “inhuman” condition of various government-run
mental healthcare institutions across the country.
More on news
• The NHRC’s observations were
made after visits to all
operational government
facilities, to assess the
implementation of the Mental
Healthcare Act (MHCA), 2017.
• NHRC noted that facilities
are “illegally” keeping patients
long after their recovery which
is an “infringement of the
human rights of mentally ill
patients”.
About mental healthcare
• The World Health Organization (WHO) defines mental health as a state of well-being, where an individual realises
their capabilities, can cope with the normal stressors of life, work productively, and is able to contribute to their
community.
• Mental illness is an amalgamation of biological, social, psychological, hereditary, and environmental stressors.
o Social factors and institutions, like gender, race and ethnicity, are responsible for mental health conditions.
o In a genome-wide linkage study have found out that the heritability of depression has been estimated to be
approximately 40%.

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91 www.visionias.in ©Vision IAS
Challenges of tackling mental health care
• Challenges faced by patients
o Stigma: Because of stigma mental health patients do not seek any medical help.
✓ This can have deep isolating psychological impact.
o Drop out: Sometimes treatment including counselling can take over a year. Also, these sessions are prohibitively
costly, forcing patients to withdraw.
• Inadequate resources
o Shortage of doctors: Estimates from WHO in 2017 show that India has only 0.15 psychologists per lakh while the
requirement is three psychiatrists per lakh.
o Inadequate training to doctors: There is a range of mental illnesses that need to be identified and treated,
however training of doctors is not commensurate to the demand of the job.
o Resources at Primary Health Cares (PHCs): The supply of medication at the PHCs level may be irregular and
inadequate given the range of illnesses.
o Rehabilitation facilities: The MHCA requires the government to provide less restrictive community-based
rehabilitation facilities for persons who no longer require treatment in restrictive mental health establishments.
✓ Such rehabilitation facilities are either missing or inadequate in India’s landscape of mental healthcare
services.
• Administrative shortfalls
o Lack of coordination: Given that mental health involves both medical treatment and social welfare, there is an
overlap between the two key ministries, yet enough intersectoral coordination may be missing.
o Underutilisation of funds: For example, less than 40% of funds allocated to states from 2015 to 2020 under the
District Mental Health Programme were utilised.
o Regional disparity: Due to inadequate resources in rural and remote areas, many mental health professionals are
reluctant to work in rural areas.
Way ahead
• Understanding the gravity: Careful mapping and research needs to be undertaken to produce quality data, that is
essential to understand the size of the problem.
o Additionally, the initiative of mapping should be complemented with setting benchmarks for screening of mental
illness.
• Mental health literacy: Awareness programme is the gateway for stigma less mental health interventions.
o Lack of awareness leads to overlooking, misjudging or dismissing the signs that someone needs help as well as
stigmatising those who seek medical help.
o Also, there is an urgent need to counter the notion that mental
health exclusively means the absence of mental illness.
• Affordability: Cost of counselling sessions should be regulated. Also,
underwriting norms in insurance policies, coverage of outpatient costs,
disease classification, pre-existing conditions, need clarification.
• Financing: The allocated budget is about approximately 932.13 crores but
experts believe that budget allocation must be enhanced. Also,
mechanisms should be devised to effectively utilise the financial
resources.
• Administrative reforms:
o Bottom-up strategy: A mental healthcare system modelled on reproductive and child health–with services starting
at the village level and going up to the tertiary hospitals is needed.
o Effective coordination: Better intersectoral coordination between mental health and social welfare departments
of the government is needed.
• Shifting care from institution to community: For community based rehabilitation, India should bolster outpatient
services and have day-care centres.
o It will facilitate a comprehensive approach, supported by heightened political commitment, scientific
understanding and a citizen driven movement.

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6.7. NEW ORGAN TRANSPLANTATION GUIDELINES
Why in News?
In a recent move aimed at improving
the organ donation and
transplantation system in India, the
Ministry of Health and Family
Welfare (MoH&FW) has introduced
several changes to the National
Organ Transplantation Guidelines.
New Guidelines
• No domicile requirement: A
Citizen can now register for organ donation in any state, previous requirement of registering in the state of domicile
has been removed.
• Upper limit age: New Guidelines allow even those above 65 years of age to register to receive an organ for
transplantation from deceased donors.
o Under the previous guidelines established by the National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organization (NOTTO),
patients over the age of 65 suffering from end-stage organ failure were prohibited from registering to receive an
organ for transplantation.
• No registration fees: Centre has asked states to stop governments to stop taking fees to register a patient for organ
transplants.
• These developments come in the backdrop of when MoH&FW is working on One Nation-One Policy for organ
donation and transplantation.

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Issues in Organ Donation and Transplantation in India
• Health being a state subject: Since health is a state subject in India, it can be challenging to get all states to accept
and implement new regulations.
• Low organ donation rate: Despite the high demand for organs, the rate of organ donation is still quite low in India,
as many citizens are not willing to pledge their organs due to social, cultural, and religious beliefs.
• Regional disparities: There is a significant disparity in organ donation rates between different regions, such as the
North-South divide, with most critical/specialized hospitals being located in South India.
• Limited specialized hospitals: Despite Ethical Issues involved in organ transplantation
having over 640 medical colleges and • Justice versus benefit in allocation: Due to shortage of donors, the
hospitals in India, organ transplantation question of who should get the organs - the one who is the sickest or
remains a specialized service limited to the one who is waiting for long, or the one who can get benefited the
certain hospitals only. most or to the richest person in queue – becomes an ethical dilemma.
• Family sentiments: In cases of brain dead • Individual beliefs system: The treatment of body and its parts after
donors, the family members go through death has great significance for an individual for religious, spiritual,
cultural and social reasons.
various emotions and grief, while the
• Monetizing body parts: Selling an organ for the need of money raises
window of opportunity for organ transplant
question of ethics and exploitation of poor sections.
begins to shrink rapidly. • Coercion & Non-informed donation: Scandals of trafficking of organs
• Acceptance of organ transplants: Many raise issues regarding informed consent of the donor.
patients and their family members have • Potential risks of donation: At times, donors are unaware of the
doubts about the quality of care the patient potential risks and aftereffects they may undergo.
will receive after an organ transplant, as • Non-universality: The development and use of technology related to
well as how long the patient will survive organ and tissue transplants is quite expensive and beyond the means
after the transplant. of many people.
• Black market: The existence of a large black
market for organ donation creates a trust
deficit among needy families and hinders
organ donation in India.
Suggestion
• Open dialogue about organ donation:
Starting from school curriculum or special
course making students as torch bearer for
elimination negative approach towards
organ donation and transplantation.
• More awareness about Organ donation
among masses: Through advertisement or
Role model.
• Better coordination among various
governance levels: Like NOTTO at the
national level, SOTTOs at the state level and
ROTTOs at the regional level needs to
ensure that they work as well-oiled
machinery while performing their mandate.
• Engaging with all stakeholders: Specially
engaging with local stakeholders and non-
governmental organisations (NGOs).
• Improve Hospital strength: There is a need to expand the number of institutions where surgeries and transplants are
undertaken.

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6.8. NEWS IN SHORTS
6.8.1. JADUI PITARA: A LEARNING- o SWAYAM is a repository of more than 300 high
TEACHING MATERIAL quality Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC)
that are developed by academicians from top
• ‘Jadui Pitara’ -a play-based LTM tailored for children ranked institutions and are offered free of cost.
between the age group of 3- has been developed • A learning system based on formalised teaching but
under National Curriculum Framework for with help of electronic resources is known as E-
Foundational Stage (NCF-FS). learning.
o It is designed to pique curiosity and accommodate o India is one of the biggest markets for e-learning
diverse needs of learners in foundational stage. with revenue projected to reach US$ 4.73bn in
• National Education Policy 2020 envisages 5+3+3+4 2023.
(Foundational + Preparatory + Middle + Secondary) • Factors driving eLearning platform
curriculum pedagogical structure. o COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated adoption of
o A National Steering Committee headed by Prof. K. online learning.
Kasturirangan will develop NCF for each of the o Demand for remote and flexible learning options.
stages. o Advancements in technology and growing trend
• NCF-FS was launched by Ministry of Education in towards personalized and adaptive learning.
October 2022 and accordingly, NCERT has developed • Challenges faced: Ensuring quality and accuracy of
LTM. content, digital divide, unequal access to technology
o NCF-FS emphasises play based learning for and internet connectivity etc.
foundational stages.
o Accordingly, LTM for foundational stage was
launched using the concept of Jaadui Pitara.
• Key features of Jadui Pitara
o Applies to Class 1 & 2 also (age 6-8).
o It is available in 13 Indian languages.
o Comprises of playbooks, toys, puzzles, posters,
story books etc. as well as reflecting local culture,
social context and languages.
o Learning and Development in several domains
including Physical Development, Socio-emotional
and Ethical Development, Cognitive Development
etc.

6.8.3. GLOBAL QUALITY

INFRASTRUCTURE INDEX (GQII) 2021
• India's accreditation system ranked 5th in Global
Quality Infrastructure Index (GQII) 2021.
• GQII program is an initiative to research and
disseminate data on Quality Infrastructure (QI).
o It is supported by Physikalisch-Technische
Bundesanstalt (PTB) and Federal Ministry for
6.8.2. STUDY WEBS OF ACTIVE LEARNING Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ),
FOR YOUNG ASPIRING MINDS (SWAYAM) Germany.
• GQII 2021 ranks 184 countries according to relative
• With 2.4 crore enrolments, government-run SWAYAM development of their QI.
has outperformed any other e-Learning platform.

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 o Overall rank of India’s QI is 10 while Germany o Lays foundations of quality and credibility,
ranks 1, followed by China and USA. especially for sectors such as health and
o It aims to metrology, standardization and sustainable development.
accreditation.
6.8.4. YUVA SANGAM PORTAL
Parameter Meaning India’s Responsible
Rank Agency • Yuva Sangam registration portal was launched.
Metrology Science of 21 National • It is an initiative of Government of india to strengthen
measurement, Physical people to people connect especially between youth
embracing both Laboratory
belonging to North Eastern India and other States.
experimental and under Council
theoretical of Scientific &
• It will focus on conducting exposure tours of youth
determinations at Industrial between 8 North Eastern States and other States.
any level of Research • It is conceptualized under Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat
uncertainty in field (NPL-CSIR) (EBSB) in collaboration with various other ministries
of science and and departments such as Culture, Tourism, Railways
technology. etc.
Standar- Process of creating 9 Bureau of o EBSB aims to promote mutual understanding
dization protocols to guide Indian between people of different states/UTs through
creation of good or Standards
state/UT pairing.
service based on (BIS)
consensus of all 6.8.5. MISSION ANTYODAYA SURVEY
relevant parties in
industry. (MAS) 2022-23
Accredi- Formal, 5 Quality • It was launched by Ministry of Rural development and
tation independent Council of
Panchayati Raj along with its portal and mobile
verification which India (QCI)
application.
establishes
competence and • MAS is conducted by Department of Rural
credibility of Development since 2017-18.
conformity o It aims to assess the outcome of various
assessment bodies development schemes in rural areas.
(CABs) which o It is carried out coterminous with People’s Plan
perform testing, Campaign (PPC).
certification, o Survey-2022 Questionnaire has 183 indicators and
inspection, etc. 216 data points covering 21 areas.
• Importance of QI o Areas covered in survey include fisheries,
o Helps in international cooperation by creating agriculture, fuel and fodder, good governance,
reliability and trust between trading partners. roads, etc. Questionnaires are to be prepared in 13
languages.

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6. SOCIAL ISSUES
6.1. SOCIAL PROTECTION IN INDIA
Why in News?
The International Labour Organization (ILO)
and UNICEF released the “More than a billion
reasons: The urgent need to build universal
social protection for children” report.
More on News
• 2nd joint report on social protection for
children: The report highlighted:
o Globally, just 1 in 4 children covered by
social protection.
o Children without social protection are
twice as likely to live in extreme
poverty than adults.
o It can have a devastating impact on
their lives, communities, societies, and
economies.
• It also recommended a “high-road”
approach with six steps for universal social
protection of children (see image).
About Social Protection and its importance
• Social protection: It is defined as ‘the set of
policies and programmes designed to reduce and prevent poverty and
vulnerability throughout the life cycle’.
○ For example, policies like access to healthcare and basic income security
throughout life are the foundations of the social protection floor (refer
image).
• Social Protection has a multiplier effect: It has an immediate and profound
impact on people’s lives and futures through increased access to food, nutrition,
education, and healthcare. E.g.
○ It helps in combating issues such as
child labour, domestic dependency
of women etc.
• Stages of social protection:
Comprehensive social protection
provides support at maternity,
unemployment, employment injury
etc., as well as against shocks, such as
natural disasters, economic crises and
pandemics (e.g., during Covid-19).
Initiatives for Social Protection in India and
its Coverage
The Centre and State governments have
taken wide-ranging Social insurance
(Protective), Social assistance (Promotional) and Social Welfare Measures as:
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 Social • Social Security Coverage for Formal Workers by the Employees’ State Insurance (ESI) Cooperation and
Insurance Employees’ Provident Fund Organization (EPFO).
• Pension Schemes for unorganized workers such as Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maan-Dhan Yojana (PM-SYM)
and Atal Pension Yojana.
• Medical Insurance Schemes such as Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY)
• Maternity Insurance Schemes such as Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY), Janani Suraksha
Yojana etc.
• Unemployment Insurance Schemes such as Rajiv Gandhi Shramik Kalyan Yojana (RGSKY) and Atal Beemit Vyakti
Kalyan Yojna (ABVKY).
Social • Food and Nutrition programmes such as Integrated Child Development Services, Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti
Assistance Nirman (PM POSHAN), National Food Security Act etc.
• Housing for All through Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana – Gramin (PMAY-G) and Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana
– Urban (PMAY-U)
• Self-Employment programmes such as Prime Minister Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP), PM-
SVANidhi Scheme, PM MUDRA Yojana etc.
• Wage Employment programmes such as Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005 or
MGNREGA.
Social • National Social Assistance Programme for financial assistance to the elderly.
Welfare • PM Kisan Samman Nidhi Scheme (PM-KISAN) for financial assistance to the farmers.
• Pradhan Mantri Cares for Children scheme to support children who lost their parents and caregivers due to
COVID-19.
But, despite these wide-ranging measures for social protection, the percentage of population with social protection
benefits remains low.
According to World Social Protection Report 2020-22: Regional companion report for Asia and the Pacific, only 24.4%
of Indians had some kind of social protection.
Reasons for Low Coverage in India
• Relatively lower Investment in Social Protection Measures from Centre and State with large Population to be
catered.
o India spends just 8.6% of GDP on social protection measures as compared to Global Average of 12.9%.
• High Percentage of Informal Employment: In India, around 90% of the workforce is in informal sector, which excludes
them from the ambit of social protection.
o This includes the lower middle-class section, also known as the ‘missing middle’ – which is covered neither by
social assistance nor social insurance.
• Marginalization of certain sections such as:
o Women facing gender inequality with high share in the informal economy leading to the disproportionate impact
of poverty on women.
o Scheduled Tribes (Adivasis) with remote living and high development displacement.
o Scheduled Castes facing caste inequalities etc.
• Governance issues:
o High degree of fragmentation and low interoperability between schemes.
o Weak Civil Registration System leading to inclusion and exclusion errors.
o Administrative Issues such as corruption leading to high leakages.
Way Forward
Apart from the suggestions provided by the aforementioned report, following areas should be focused:
• Increase Public Expenditure on Social Protection System for expanded coverage of national and state social
protection programmes.
• Adopt a mix of contributory (ex: PM KISAN) and non-contributory benefit schemes (ex: MGNREGA) to respond to
the needs of decentralized India rather than focusing on static divisions like rural and urban.
• Consolidate social protection programmes for better coordination and to improve the reach of schemes reach by
covering the missing middle, elderly, children, migrants etc.
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• Use Emerging Technologies to fix current coverage gaps for improved efficiency and effectiveness of social
protection. For instance, using the Aadhaar database to remove inclusion and exclusion errors.
• Increase Public Awareness on social protection system and its importance to change individual perception on its
need.

6.2. RIGHT TO HEALTH

Why in News?
Recently, Rajasthan became the first Indian State to enact
a Right to Health Act.
Health as a Right and Right to Health in India
• Scope of Right to Health: Right to Health extends not
just to timely and appropriate healthcare, but also to
the underlying determinants of health, such as:
o Access to safe and potable water and adequate
sanitation,
o Healthy occupational and environmental
conditions, and
o Access to health-related education and information, including on sexual and reproductive health.
• Constitutional Position: Right to Health has been enshrined as a fundamental right in the Indian Constitution.
o Right to Health is construed as a part of Right to Life (Article 21) through substantive rulings of the Supreme
Court (refer image for some examples).
Significance of Right to
Health
• For the State:
o Obligation on
State to take
policy measures to
improve socio-
economic
determinants of
health, such as
water, sanitation,
environment etc.
Health is a state
subject.
o Aids in creation
and
implementation
of Health Programmes. This includes programmes developed by the State or by international institutions like
World Health Organization (WHO)).
• For Citizens:
o Reduces their out-of-pocket expenditure on health. This is one of the main reasons behind citizens slipping into
poverty.
o Adoption of specific enforceable legal instruments, empowering citizens to hold government accountable and
achieve specific goals. E.g., Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3 on Good Health and Well-Being.
Overall, Right to Health helps in reducing morbidities and preventing mortalities with many other benefits for individuals,
society, and the nation (refer image).

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Constraints in enjoyment of Right to Health
• Poor Health Facilities: Government expenditure on
health is on the lower side (2.1% of GDP in FY23),
leading to lack of healthcare facilities.
o As per Rural Health Statistics 2021-2022, less than
half of Primary Health Centres (PHCs) function on
a 24x7 basis.
o As a corollary, the out-of-pocket expenditure on
health is still high (National Health Accounts
Estimates 2018-19 released in 2022) as over 78%
of healthcare is provided by private facilities.
• Physical Accessibility: The access to healthcare
facilities and the underlying determinants such as
safe drinking water is still not within reach for many.
○ For instance, only around 60% households have
tap water connection (2022-23).
• Information Accessibility: Lack of awareness on
citizen’s right to seek, receive and impart
information. This can lead to denial of benefits or
exploitation.
o E.g., Hospitals taking cash from beneficiaries of Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) – a cashless
treatment scheme.
• High disease burden of dengue, tuberculosis etc. with growing sedentary lifestyle and burden of non-communicable
diseases (e.g., diabetes, cardiovascular diseases etc.).
• Lack of respect for Medical Ethics: Practices like selling of
drug samples, unnecessary billing, gender identification,
organ trafficking etc. have been reported.
• Poor Quality: Unavailability of skilled medical
professionals, medicines and equipment, adequate water,
and sanitation etc.
○ Also, sensitivity towards mental health is still missing.
Way Forward
The full realization of Right to Health can be achieved only
when nations come together to achieve global commitments
and locally, states work to achieve this goal by:
• Increasing State Health Expenditure to strengthen public
healthcare infrastructure.
• Global and Regional Cooperation to prevent and control the spread of pandemics, address climate change, air
pollution etc.
• Establish an operational framework to encourage private healthcare services while ensuring transparency and
accountability in the health systems.
• Restructuring the centrally sponsored schemes to enable greater flexibility for States based on their priorities/needs.
• Protecting and safeguarding the rights of the patients and healthcare providers by encouraging principles such as
equality and non-discrimination in medical services.
• Universalizing Health Insurance to cover the missing middle, i.e., people who are rich enough to not qualify for
government schemes but lack money to buy private health cover.
• Initiatives to change behavior to promote healthy lifestyle/choices. For example, Eat Right Movement of FSSAI.
• Improving and encouraging community healthcare to decrease the overall disease burden on the system.

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6.3. RARE DISEASES
Why in News?
The central government exempted all foods
and drugs for rare diseases imported by
people for personal use from customs duty.
More on News
• To avail the benefits, people importing
it have to get a certificate from the
Central Director General, Deputy
Director General, or Assistant Director
General of Health Services, Director
General of State Health Services, or
District Medical Officer or civil surgeon.
Rare Diseases as a public health issue in
India
• Definition of rare disease: India does
not have a standard definition of rare
diseases.
o The use of varying definitions and
diverse terminology can result in confusion and inconsistencies and has
implications for access to treatment and for research and development.
• Lack of epidemiological data: The lack of epidemiological data on incidence
and prevalence of rare diseases impedes understanding of the extent of the
burden of rare diseases and development of a definition.
• Diagnosis of rare diseases: Early diagnosis of rare diseases is a challenge
owing to multiple factors that include lack of awareness among primary care
physicians, lack of adequate screening and diagnostic facilities.
o Diagnosis of almost all rare diseases takes place only at tertiary health
centres, which are concentrated in urban areas.
• Challenges in research and development: Rare diseases are difficult to research upon as the patient pool is very small
and it often results in inadequate clinical experience.
• Unavailability of treatment: Despite progress in recent years, effective or safe treatment is not available for most of
the rare diseases.
o There are between 7000 - 8000 rare diseases, but less than 5% have therapies available to treat them.
• Prohibitive cost of treatment: As the number of persons suffering from individual rare diseases is small, they do not
constitute a significant market for drug manufacturers to develop and bring to market drugs for them.
• Lack of awareness: There is a lack of awareness about rare diseases in general public as well as in the medical
fraternity.
• Competing priorities of public health: Interventions that address health problems of a larger number of persons by
allocating a relatively smaller amount are prioritized over funding treatment of rare diseases where much greater
resources will be required for a smaller number of persons.
o The financial capacity to support exorbitant cost of treatment is an important consideration in public health policy
development with reference to treatment for rare diseases.
Initiatives taken for rare diseases in India
• National Policy for Rare Diseases (NPRD), 2021: Government has launched NPRD, 2021 for the treatment of patients
with Rare Diseases.

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 o Recently, Union health ministry has included six more rare diseases into various groups of disorders under the
National Policy for Rare Diseases (NPRD), 2021, enabling the patients of these diseases to avail financial
assistance for treatment.
Salient features of NPRD, 2021
o Six diseases are Laron's Syndrome,
• The rare diseases have been identified and categorized into 3 groups
Wilson’s Disease, Congenital Adrenal o Group 1: Disorders amenable to one-time curative treatment.
Hyperplasia (CAH), Neonatal Onset o Group-2: Diseases requiring long term/lifelong treatment having
Multisystem inflammatory Disease relatively lower cost of treatment.
(NOMID), Hypophosphatic Rickets and o Group 3:- Diseases with very high cost and lifelong therapy.
Atypical Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome • Financial support upto Rs. 50 lakhs is provided to the patients
(AHUS) suffering from any category of the rare diseases and getting treatment
• Production Linked Incentive Scheme for in any of the Centre of Excellence (CoE) identified under NPRD-2021.
Pharmaceuticals: Under this Scheme, • The NPRD, 2021 has provisions for
manufacturers who are chosen for o Promotion of research and development for diagnosis and
treatment of rare diseases;
domestic production of different types of
o Promotion of local development and manufacture of drugs and
products, including Orphan drugs, are creation of conducive environment for indigenous manufacturing
eligible to receive financial incentives. of drugs for rare diseases at affordable prices.
• Exemption of duty: Government has given
exemption from Basic Customs Duty to drugs or medicines, which are used in the treatment of Rare Diseases when
imported by CoEs or any person or institution on recommendation of any CoE listed in NPRD, 2021.
• Digital Portal for Crowd funding: The Department of Health and Family Welfare has launched a Digital Portal for
Crowd funding and Voluntary donations for Patients of Rare Diseases.
• National Registry: ICMR has initiated a National Registry wherein epidemiological data is being collected for rare
diseases and other inherited disorders.
Way forward
• Define rare diseases: Standard definition will help the research, local drug development activities, and the long-term
plan for the Rare Disease Community.
• Establishing Centers of Excellence: Centers of Excellence for rare diseases can provide specialized care, research, and
support for patients and families.
o Only 11 CoEs have been identified till date.
• Improving Diagnosis: Measures such as newborn screening, genetic testing, and increased awareness among
healthcare providers can help to improve diagnosis rates.
o The National Digital Health Mission (NDHM) can help improve diagnostics of rare diseases.
• Tax benefits: Crowdfunding amount should be exempted under Section 80G of the Income Tax Act for tax benefits.
• Global Cooperation: Policies should expedite scientific innovation and advanced clinical research, and enable key
stakeholders such as patients, doctors and caregivers, and the pharmaceutical industry, to easily interact with one
another.
o It is feasible to offer a solution through a federated data system that balances local autonomy with global
innovation.

6.4. NEWS IN SHORTS

6.4.1. WORLD HAPPINESS REPORT 2023 • Ranking of happiness based on a 3-year-average 2020-
22.
• UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network • Key ranking
released World Happiness Report (WHR) 2023. o Top three countries are Finland, Denmark and
• Report evaluates levels of happiness by taking into Iceland respectively
account 6 key variables. o Afghanistan, Lebanon, Sierra Leone were in the
• The goal of the report is to identify key determinants bottom of the chart.
of well-being. o India has been ranked at the 126th place among
o It is based on people's own assessment of their 137 countries (as compared to 136th out of 146
happiness, as well as economic and social data. countries in 2022).
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 ✓ India ranked below neighbours China, Nepal, 6.4.3. NEW INDIA LITERACY
Sri Lanka and Bangladesh PROGRAMME (NILP)
o Bhutan is not listed in the WHR 2023.
• UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network • 1st Foundational Literacy and Numeracy Assessment
(SDSN) Test (FLNAT) held this year
o It was launched in 2012 under UN Secretary • The FLNAT under Nav Bharat Saaksharta Karyakram
General, it mobilizes global scientific and (New India Literacy Programme, NILP ) was held across
technological expertise to promote practical 10 States and UTs to assess the basic Reading, Writing
solutions for sustainable development, including and Numeracy skills of the neo-literates.
implementation of Sustainable Development o Non-literates of 15 years and above age group
Goals (SDGs) and Paris Climate Agreement. participated in the event so that they can be
o It publishes annual reports like Sustainable declared as literates on qualifying.
development Report and World Happiness • About NILP
Report. o It is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme approved for
implementation during FYs 2022-27.
o The scheme is in alignment with the
recommendations of National Education Policy
(NEP) 2020.
o The scheme targets all non-literates of age 15
years and above in the country, with more focus
on females and educationally backward states.
o It has five components: FLN; Critical Life Skills;
Basic Education; Vocational Skills and Continuing
Education.
o The scheme is to be implemented through
volunteer teachers and students of schools and
Higher Education Institutions and Teacher
Education Institution.
o Target for FYs 2022-27 is 5 crore learners (1.00
crore per year) by using “Online Teaching,
Learning and Assessment System (OTLAS)” in
collaboration with National Informatics Centre,
6.4.2. GLOBAL EDUCATION MONITORING NCERT and NIOS.
REPORT
• Report was released by United Nations Educational,
Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
• Key findings
o Only 17% of countries cover sexual orientation,
gender identity and gender expression issues -
least covered areas in CSE curricula.
✓ Comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) is a
curriculum-based process of teaching and
learning about cognitive, emotional, physical
and social aspects of sexuality.
6.4.4. NUTRITION CRISIS IN ADOLESCENT
o Only 20% countries have laws and 39% have a
national policy that specifically addresses sexuality
GIRLS AND WOMEN
education. • Undernourished and Overlooked: A Global Nutrition
o Sexuality education in primary education is Crisis in Adolescent Girls and Women report released
compulsory in 68% countries and in secondary by UNICEF.
education in 76%. • Report examines nutritional status of adolescent girls
o Contraception issues are covered in school and women of reproductive age (15-49 years), and
curriculum in two-thirds of countries. barriers they face in accessing nutritious diets, utilizing
essential nutrition services etc.
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• Key Findings children, constraints on women starting and
o More than one billion adolescent girls and women running a business, gender differences in property
suffer from undernutrition, deficiencies in and inheritance etc.
essential micronutrients and anaemia. o Recommendations for India: Improve legal
o South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa are home to 68 equality for women, Mandating equal
% of adolescent girls and women with underweight remuneration for work of equal value, Allowing
and 60% with anaemia. women to work at night and in an industrial job in
o No region is on track to meet 2030 global targets the same way as men etc.
to reduce anaemia in adolescent girls and women
by half and low birthweight in new-borns by 30%.
o Gender gap in food insecurity more than doubled
between 2019 and 2021.
• Recommendations
o Protection from ultra-processed foods through
marketing restrictions, compulsory front-of-pack
labelling and taxation.
o Expand large-scale food fortification of routinely
consumed foods such as flour, cooking oil and salt
o Expanding access to social protection
programmes (including cash transfers and
vouchers) for the most vulnerable adolescent girls
and women.
o Elimination of discriminatory gender and social
norms such as child marriage and the inequitable 6.4.6. WOMEN AND MEN IN INDIA 2022
sharing of food, household resources etc.
• It is an annual statistical compilation of Gender related
Indicators of India.
o Released by Ministry of Statistics and Programme
Implementation.
• Key Findings
o Sex Ratio: 945 in 2021, expected to reach 952 by
2036.
o Life Expectancy: Reached 68.4 and 71.1 years for
males and females respectively during 2015-19. It
is expected to reach 71.2 and 74.7 years by 2031-
36.
o Infant Mortality Rate: 28 (28 Male and 28 Female)
in 2020.
6.4.5. WOMEN, BUSINESS AND THE LAW o Literacy Rates: 77.7% (84.7% Male and 70.3%
2023 REPORT Female) in 2017.
o Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR): 41.3%
• Report, by World Bank, measures laws that affect (57.3% Male and 24.8% Female) in 2021-22.
women’s economic opportunity in 190 economies
using several indicators such as Mobility, Workplace, 6.4.7. WOMEN ICONS LEADING
Pay, Marriage, Parenthood, Entrepreneurship etc. SWACHHATA' (WINS) AWARDS 2023
• Key Findings
o Globally women enjoy only 77% of the legal rights • First edition of WINS Awards was announced by
that men do. Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs.
o At the current pace, it would take at least 50 years • Awards aim to recognize inspiring and exemplary
to approach legal gender equality everywhere. initiatives in urban sanitation and waste management
o Presented an Index on life cycle of a working by women led organizations and individual women.
women (India scored 74.4 out of a possible 100). • State nominations will be evaluated at the national
o Reforms needed in India: Laws affecting women’s level on their innovativeness, impact, uniqueness,
pay, laws affecting women’s work after having sustainability & replicability.
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6.4.8. SWACHHOTSAV 2023 o Waste processing in India has gone up by over four
times from 17% in 2014 to 75% today.
• Swachhotsav 2023 was launched by Union Ministry of • About SBM-U 2.0:
Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) on International o It is being implemented as a centrally sponsored
Zero Waste Day (IZWD) 2023. scheme by MoHUA and envisages to make all cities
• Swachhotsav campaign aims at galvanizing ‘Garbage Free’.
participation and leadership of women to realize the o It focuses on source segregation of solid waste,
goal of ‘Garbage Free Cities’. utilizing the principles of 3Rs (reduce, reuse,
o The first IZWD has been jointly facilitated by the recycle), etc for effective solid waste management.
UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and the UN
Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat).
• MoHUA said that 1,000 cities are targeted to become
3-star Garbage Free Cities (GFC) by October 2024
under the Swachh Bharat Mission Urban (SBM-U) 2.0.
o GFC-Star rating protocol was launched in 2018
under SBM-U 2.0 to encourage a competitive,
mission-mode spirit among Urban Local Bodies
(ULBs).
• Key achievements under SBM-U:
o Urban India has become Open Defecation Free
(ODF).
✓ All 4,715 Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) completely
ODF,
✓ 3,547 ULBs are ODF+ with functional and
hygienic community and public toilets and
✓ 1,191 ULBs are ODF++ with complete faecal
sludge management.

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6. SOCIAL ISSUES
6.1. NATIONAL CURRICULUM FRAMEWORK FOR SCHOOL EDUCATION (NCFSE)
Why in News?
The Ministry of Education (MoE) released the pre-draft of the National Curriculum Framework for School Education
(NCFSE) for public feedback.
About Proposed National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCFSE)
• NCFSE is intended to guide the development of textbooks and curriculum in accordance with the National Education
Policy (NEP) 2020.
o The NCFSE was last revised in 2005 and the existing sets of NCERT text books were prepared using it.
• Proposed NCFSE is for the age group 3 to 18 years.
• The NCFSE, after its adoption by the CBSE and other state boards, will also restructure various other aspects of the
classroom, including choice of subjects, pattern of teaching, and assessment of students.
National Curriculum Framework (NCF) & National Education Policy (NEP) 2020
• NEP is a comprehensive framework to guide the development of education
in the country.
o It guides the development of education and provides directions for
regulating and promoting education.
• NEP 2020 aims to devise 4 National Curriculum Frameworks (NCFs), for
which a comprehensive strategy has been worked out jointly by the MoE
and National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT).
• National Steering Committee under the Chairpersonship of Dr. K.
Kasturirangan was set up by the MoE to undertake and guide the
development of NCFs.
• The NCF addresses education for the age group 3 to 18 years, across the
entire range of diverse institutions in India.
o This is across the four Stages in the 5+3+3+4 Curricular and
Pedagogical restructuring of School Education as envisioned in NEP
2020.
• National Curriculum Framework for Early Childhood Care and Education (NCFECCE) is already prepared and the rest NCF for
teacher education and adult education are underway.
• The NCF brings to life the aims and commitments of the NEP like
o Includes the full range of human capacities, values and dispositions that are aimed to be developed in school education.
o Pedagogy, practices, and culture must work in tandem to develop these, and move away from an overemphasis on
memorization and content accumulation; in fact, content reduction is required to create space for such development.
o Integrative and holistic with equal status to all subjects and learning domains from Math to Sports.
o Confronts and address real challenges facing our countries' education system.
Proposed Curriculum Changes
• Class wise approach
o For Children aged 3-8 (preschool to class II), a play based
pedagogical approach using toys, puzzles, and
manipulatives is suggested.
o For the middle stage (class VI, VII, VIII), natural as well as
social sciences will be introduced. The textbooks are to
play a central role from the Middle Stage.
o For class IX and X, the students are to study 16 courses
categorised under eight varied curricular areas and will
have to clear eight papers to obtain the final certification.

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 ✓ The suggested curricular areas Importance Of NCF for School Education
are Humanities (that includes • Holistic in nature: Students are provided the opportunity to pursue a
languages), Mathematics & variety of subjects under different streams.
Computing, Vocational • Imbibes Cultural Connect: The curriculum's goal is to make the students
Education, Physical Education, understand their cultural connect better, so as to relish and propagate it
Arts, Social Science, Science, better.
and Inter-disciplinary Areas. • Imparts Equality: It advocates against the discriminations based on caste,
o For class XI and XII, choice based gender, religion, socio-economic conditions, student performance in the
campus.
courses from the same disciplines
• Improved learning levels: The Semester based approach reduces the
are provided and semester system
anxiety created due to one-time board exams and helps the students
of examination with cumulative prepare and learn better.
grade points is to be introduced for • Ideal for the Country's future: The pedagogy is not only designed to make
class XII. the student learn better but also to make him a law abiding ideal citizen.
• No hard separation among arts,
humanities, and sciences: There is to be no hard separation among arts, humanities, and sciences, the students are
provided with the opportunity of pursuing subjects under mixed background.
• Academic year and and School Schedule: The NCFSE provides for a specific framework, suggesting that the academic
year should be 180 school days or 34 weeks across all stages of education.
o It calls for a five and half day week schedule with 29 working hours for students, with periods of 40 mins (Upto
Class VIII) and 50 mins (from Class IX).
• Other Recommendations:
o Modular Board
Examinations will be
offered as opposed to a
single examination at the
end of the year.
o The pre-draft NCF proposes
the integration of ancient
Indian knowledge systems,
such as the 6 pramanas
(ways of acquiring
knowledge) and the
Panchakosha system for
Moral Development
described in the Taittiriya
Upanishad.
The draft has proposed ways
through which the Indian education
system could be fine-tuned to meet
the needs of the current and future trends, without missing away from our roots but adapting ourselves to the growing
demands of a pluralistic world.

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6.2. NATIONAL CREDIT FRAMEWORK (NCRF)
Why in News?
The University Grants Commission (UGC) has recently released the National Credit Framework (NCrF).
Background of NCrF
• To realise objectives of National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, Centre approved a High-Level Committee (2021) to
develop a National Credit Accumulation and Transfer Framework for both General and Vocational Education and
Training/skilling.
• NCrF has been jointly developed by a High-Level Committee with members from UGC, All India Council for Technical
Education (AICTE), National Council for Vocational Education and Training (NCVET), NCERT, Ministry of Education,
Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, CBSE, etc.
About National Credit Framework (NCrF)
• It is an inclusive one single meta framework to seamlessly integrate
the credits earned through school education, higher education and
vocational & skill education.
• For creditization and integration of all learning, the National Credit
Framework (NCrF) shall encompass the qualification frameworks for
higher education, vocational & skill education and school education,
namely:
o National Higher Education Qualification Framework (NHEQF),
o National Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF)
o National Curriculum Framework (NCF)/ National School
Education Qualification Framework (NSEQF).
• It seeks to integrate the credits earned through school education,
higher education and vocational & skill education to ensure flexibility
and mobility among them.
o It will provide the guideline to be followed by schools, colleges and universities in adopting the credit system.
• It makes the education more holistic by enabling broad based, multi-disciplinary education across sciences, social
sciences, arts, humanities and sports.
• The Framework has been built on the strength of existing regulations, guidelines and qualification frameworks as
being followed by IITs, IIMs, NITs and other Institutes of National Importance so that the options for Multiple Entry-
Multiple Exit (ME-ME) are available, accessible and applicable across the higher education, school education and
vocational education.
• It aims to provide skills and in-hand experience to the students regarding various industries that enable them to
acquire better knowledge and skillset making them more suitable for the needs of the industries.
Key Highlights of NCrF
• Credit system: It divides
education into 8 levels
where levels 1-4 refer to
the School Education and
4.5-8 refers to Higher
education and for
Vocational education &
training from level 1 to 8.
o The credits earned
after the completion of
academic education,

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 vocational education, training & Skill education - the collected credits will be stored in the Academic Bank of
Credits (ABC).
• Different means to earn Credit: A student can earn credit by three different means:
o By completing academic education,
o By undergoing vocational education, training or skill programme,
o By taking up experiential learning, such as relevant experience and proficiency levels acquired from industries.
• Integration of earned Credits: It aims to integrate the credits earned through schools, colleges, vocational and skill
education by encompassing the NHEQF, NSQF and NSEQF.
• Multiple Entry and Exit Options: It enables lifelong learning through multiple entry and exit Options as credit transfer
mechanism will enable a student to enter, exit and re-enter the educational ecosystem at any point of time during
his/her career.
o The Framework has been built on the strength of existing regulations, guidelines and qualification frameworks
as being followed by IITs, IIMs, NITs and other Institutes of National Imporatnce.
• Concept of Notional Learning Hours: It refers to the time that an average student needs to attend all classes, appear
for tests and submit assignments.
o The total notional learning hours for school, college, vocational and skill education is fixed at 1200 Hrs/Year.
Conclusion
NCrF is a necessary step to make the NEP more effective, so that the real benefits of the demographic dividend can be
reaped to transform India in all aspects.

6.3. 7 TH NATIONAL HEALTH ACCOUNTS (NHA) ESTIMATES (FOR 2019 -20)

Why in news?
Recently, 7th National
Health Accounts (NHA)
Estimates (for 2019-20)
were released.
About National Health
Accounts (NHA)
Estimates
• Released by: the
Ministry of Health
and Family Welfare
(MoH&FW).
• Prepared by:
National Health
Accounts Technical Secretariat (NHATS) with guidance and support from NHA Steering Committee and the NHA
Expert Group for India.
• These estimates enable policymakers to monitor the progress in different health financing indicators of the country.
• NHA for India was envisaged in the National Health Policy, 2002 and is based on the framework of System of Health
Accounts, 2011.
Key Findings:
Health Indicator Trend 2019-20 (In Key Information
comparison to 2013-14)
Total Health Expenditure • THE as declined from 4% to THE constitutes current and capital expenditures incurred by
(THE) as a percent of 3.3%. Government and Private Sources including External funds.
GDP and Per Capita • THE per capita increased to
₹4,863 from ₹3,638.

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 Current Health Declined from 93% to 90.52%. CHE constitutes only recurrent (operational) expenditures for
Expenditure (CHE) as a healthcare.
percent of THE
Government Health Increased from 28.6% to 41.41%. GHE constitutes spending under all schemes funded and
Expenditure (GHE) as a managed by Union, State, and Local Governments including
percent of THE quasi-Governmental organizations etc.

Out-of-Pocket Declined from 64.2% to 47.1%. OOPE are expenditures directly made by households.
Expenditure (OOPE) as a
percent of THE
Share of Social Security Increased from 6% to 9.3% SSE includes social health insurance program, government-
Expenditure (SSE) on financed health insurance schemes, etc. made to the
health as a percent of THE government employees.

Private Health Insurance Increased from 3.4 % to It constitutes spending through health insurance Companies.
Expenditures as a 7.0%
percent of THE
External/ Donor Funding Increased from 0.3% to It constitutes all funding available to the country by assistance
for health as percent of 0.5% from donors.
THE
System of Health Accounts (SHA) 2011
• It provides a standard for classifying health expenditures according to the three axes of consumption, provision,
and financing.
• This framework is drafted by an intense collaboration between Organisation for Economic Co-operation and
Development (OECD), EUROSTAT, and World Health Organisation (WHO), and supported by a wide-world
consultation process.
• It gives guidance and methodological support in compiling health accounts.
• Purpose:
o To provide a framework of the main aggregates relevant to international comparisons of health expenditures
and health systems analysis.
o To provide a tool, expandable by individual countries, which can produce useful data in the monitoring and
analysis of the health system.
o To define internationally harmonized boundaries of health care for tracking expenditure on consumption.

6.4. STATE OF WORLD POPULATION REPORT 2023

Why in News?
The United Nations Population fund (UNFPA),
has released the State of World Population
report 2023: 8 Billion lives infinite
possibilities
More about News
• This report is an annual report published
by the UNFPA covering and analyses
developments and trends in world
population and demographics.
• It also sheds light on specific regions,
countries and population groups and the
unique challenges they face.

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• 2023 report discusses the milestone of 8 billion recently reached by the human population and the narratives
surrounding population change
Key findings with respect to India
• Most populous country: India’s population is set to reach 1428.6 mn by mid-2023, thereby replacing China as the
most populous country (1425.7 mn).
• One of the Youngest Countries: Around 68% of India’s population is of the age group 15-64 years and around 26%
of the population fall between 10-24 years, making India one of the youngest countries.
• Set to raise old age population: Currently 7% of the Indian population is above 65 years and this proportion is set to
increase gradually.
• Falling fertility rate: The Total Fertility rate currently stands at 2.0, which has fallen from 2.2 in 2015-16.
• Improved life expectancy: The average life expectancy of an Indian male is 71 years and that of Indian female is 74
years.
Other Key findings:
• The Global life
expectancy has
reached 72.8 years in
2019 and expected to
reach 77.2 years by
2050.
• Migration is
predicted to be the
sole driver of
population growth in
many high income
countries.
• Eight countries namely Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Tanzania, Democratic Republic of Congo
are set to provide more than 50% of the projected global population by 2050.
Suggestions provided
• Ensuring gender equality, empowerment and advancing greater bodily autonomy for women and girls—is one of
the key determinants of a sustainable future.
• With almost half the population under 25 years of age, India has a time-bound opportunity to benefit from the
demographic dividend. The focus should be on giving women more power to control when and how they have
children.
• Report strongly recommends governments institute policies with gender equality and rights at their heart, such as
parental leave programmes, child tax credits, policies that promote gender equality in the workplace, and universal
access to sexual and reproductive health and rights.

6.5. GLOBAL FOOD POLICY REPORT 2023

Why in News?
International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) has recently released the Global food policy report 2023: Rethinking
food crisis responses.
Key Highlights of the report
2023 Report explores a growing body of evidence on how diverse policy responses can reduce both the immediate and
longer-term impacts of food crises, and improve livelihoods, incomes, and food security and nutrition for the future.
• Food insecurity: Food insecurity has raised during 2020-2022 due to multiple crises such as COVID-19 pandemic,
climate change, natural disasters along with civil unrest and political instability.
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 o With climate change, as many as 72 million more people will be undernourished by 2050.
• Stagnation of Global Development Progress: Global development progress has stagnated and even reversed in some
regions, fueled by the outbreak of the pandemic, thereby affecting both the quantity and quality of available food.
• Surge in Food Prices:
Food prices surged in
2021-22 due to supply
bottlenecks of COVID-19
recovery and the Russia-
Ukraine war, with basic
food basket prices
increasing by at least 10%
in many countries,
making food
unaffordable to many.
• Women's
Underrepresentation in
Disaster Management:
Women's voices are
rarely heard in disaster
management, and they
are not involved in the
design of projects,
despite evidence that
their participation can improve outcomes.
• Displaced Populations Facing Hunger and Malnutrition: About four-fifths of displaced people in the world have
experienced acute hunger and malnutrition.
Recommendations
Areas Measures
Proactive • More proactive response to food system shocks with focus on three key areas:
response to food o Crisis prediction and preparation;
system shocks o building resilience before and during crises; and
o making crisis response supportive and inclusive of women, forced migrants and other vulnerable
groups.
Risk Monitoring • Revise protocol for declaration of a famine to ensure it is operational in conflict-affected locations.
• Also, a better integration of existing agricultural early warning systems with the acute food insecurity
warning systems is critical for any country.
Humanitarian • Support interventions that reflect humanitarian–development– peace nexus, such as nutrition-sensitive
Response programming, use of local procurement etc.
• Empowering women in crisis situations is crucial; they shoulder a disproportionate share of negative
impacts.
Building resilient • Tailor crisis response to type of shock, particular context and value chain.
food systems • Invest in improved and innovative technologies and tools that build resilience, such as climate-smart
agriculture and index-based insurance.
Adaptive safety • Invest in incorporating shock-responsive designs into social protection programming such as investment
nets for crisis in monitoring and in predictive early warning systems.
recovery • Improve coordination between emergency humanitarian aid and pre-existing social protection programs.
Emphasizing • Provide more focus on social protection systems as they will build resilience prior to a crisis and facilitate
Social Protection better crisis recovery.
Systems

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6.6. NEWS IN SHORTS
6.6.1. TRIPLE THREAT REPORT • National Commission for Protection of Child Rights
(NCPCR) issued guidelines for assessment of child
• Report, by United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), suspects
examines “triple burden” of Water, Sanitation and • In compliance with Supreme Court directive (in Barun
Hygiene (WASH) related threats faced by children. Chnadra Thakur vs Master Bholu, 2022 case),
o WASH is a collective term to access safe drinking Guidelines will enable Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) to
water, improved sanitation facilities, and conduct Preliminary Assessment to
maintain basic level of hygiene. o Determine whether a child should be treated as a
• Triple threat/burden is defined as minor or not in criminal cases which come under
o Less than 50 percent access to at least basic water “heinous” offences category of Juvenile Justice
or sanitation services. (Care and Protection of Children) Act (JJ ACT),
o Within top 20 countries with highest burden of 2015.
deaths attributable to unsafe WASH among • Although JJ Act defines child as a person who has not
children under 5. completed 18 years of age, in 2015 it was amended to
o Within top 25 percent of countries facing highest add a provision wherein a child in age group of 16-18
risk of climate and environmental hazards in years could be tried as an adult in case of heinous
UNICEF’s Children’s Climate Risk Index (CCRI). offenses.
(refer image) o JJB carries assessment to determine whether to
• Key findings of report try such a child as an adult or a minor.
o Globally, 600 million children still lack safely
managed drinking water, 1.1 billion lack safely
managed sanitation and 689 million lack basic
hygiene service.
o Unsafe WASH led to 4 lakh children deaths under
age of 5 each year.
o Triple burden is heavily concentrated in 10
countries in sub-Saharan Africa.
• Recommendations
o Scale up current investment to meet WASH-
related SDG targets by 2030.
o Strengthen resilience in WASH sector and
communities.
o Increase effective and accountable coordination
and capacities to provide water and sanitation
services.

6.6.2. ASSESSMENT OF CHILD SUSPECTS • Key highlights of Guidelines

o General Principles: Follow fundamental
principles which guide JJ Act implementation (refer
box for major principles under it).
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 o Preliminary Assessment Purpose: Determine age child under provisions of Surrogacy (Regulation) Act,
and four determinants, i.e. Physical capacity of 2021.
child, mental capacity, circumstances, and ability o Act allows only altruistic surrogacy and penalises
to understand consequences of alleged offence. commercial surrogacy.
o Role of JJB: solely responsible for assessment and • The triple test
can take assistance from child psychologists etc. o Genetic test for husband to ensure child is not
o Completion of Preliminary Assessment: Within a born with any disorder.
period of three months. o Physical test for couple to ascertain their capacity
to manage the child
6.6.3. TRIPLE TESTS FOR SURROGACY o Economy test for couple to ensure that they can
• Karnataka High Court has evolved “triple tests” to protect the future of the child.
help a couple facing legal hurdles to have a surrogate

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6. SOCIAL ISSUES
6.1. ACCREDITATION OF HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS
Why in news
The Radhakrishnan Committee’s report on reforms in
accreditation system of India’s Higher Education Institutions
(HEIs) has been put in public domain.
More on news
• This overarching Committee headed by former ISRO
chief Dr K Radhakrishnan was set up by the Ministry of
Education (MoE) in 2022.
• The mandate of the committee includes:
o strengthening the assessment and accreditation
processes and
o preparing a road map for the National
Accreditation Council (NAC) envisioned in the
National Education Policy, 2020
• The proposed reforms are consistent with the Vision of NEP 2020 and adopt, right away, a simple, trust-based,
credible, objective, and rationalized system for approval, accreditation and ranking of HEIs.
• Also, the committee has suggested that the educational system should make transition to the proposed accreditation
regime by December 2023 even if the National Accreditation Council (NAC) is set up later.
o NAC is one of the four verticals of Higher Education Commission of India (HECI).
o It has been envisaged as the ‘meta-accrediting body’, with responsibility for overseeing and supervising an
independent ecosystem of accrediting institutions.
About India’s accreditation of HEIs
• Accreditation is assessment of the quality
of education.
• University Grants Commission (UGC) accords
recognition to the HEIs under the provisions
of the ‘UGC Act 1956’
• Multiple agencies within the ambit of the
Union Government (and even some States,
lately) have been mandated for periodic
approvals, assessment, accreditation and
ranking of HEIs.
Challenges in India’s accreditation system
• Centralized system: Regulation and
accreditation in India are centralized with
poor outreach in the federal states.
o Also, these systems have not kept pace with the growing number of HEIs in India.
• Low participation: The low level of willingness of HEIs to volunteer for this process continues to be a cause of concern.
o For example, there are 1,113 universities across the country out of which only 418 universities are accredited by
NAAC.
✓ To enhance the participation of HEIs in accreditation, UGC launched the Paramarsh Scheme.
✓ Under the scheme, some of the best-performing institutes were identified to serve as mentors to at least
five institutes aspiring to get accredited.

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• Duplication and overlapping: Presently, multiple agencies within the ambit of the Union Government (and some
States, lately) have been mandated for periodic approvals, assessment, accreditation and ranking of HEIs.
o Each of these agencies collects information from the responder HEIs that may be the same or similar.
• Challenging procedure: Process for collection of the information sought by the accrediting agencies (that too at
different periodicity) are cumbersome and tiresome.
• Manual/hybrid systems: This brings a higher degree of subjectivity and inconsistencies between assessment by
different agencies.
• Alleged corruption: For example, recently the possibility of vested interests, malpractices under the NAAC
accreditation system have been highlighted.
Key recommendations for improving India’s accreditation system of HEIs
• Composite Assessment System (CAS): Include all HEIs and every programme in the newly proposed assessment and
accreditation system.
o Amalgamate Programme-Accreditation and Institution Accreditation, considering their inter-dependency and
evolve a CAS.
Accreditation of school
• Binary Accreditation System: The Committee
• In India, there is no mandate from the government on
proposed a transition from the present 8-point regular school evaluations.
grading system of NAAC to an Binary Accreditation • The NEP 2020 visualizes an effective quality self-regulation
System viz. Accredited and Not Accredited. or accreditation system for all stages of education including
o Committee proposed, two sub- divisions in the pre-school education.
Non-accredited category i.e. Awaiting o It also recommends a separate School Quality
Accreditation (for those who are close to the Assessment and Accreditation Framework be
threshold level) and Not Accredited (for those developed by State Council of Educational Research and
who are far below the standards for Training (SCERTs).
accreditation). • National Accreditation Board for Education and Training
(NABET) is offering an accreditation programme called
o It further proposed to mentor the Institutions
‘Accreditation standard for Quality School Governance’.
falling ‘far below the standards for
o NABET is the constituent Board of the Quality Council
accreditation’. of India (QCI).
• Technology-driven systems: To ensure o The standard has three basic sections:
transparency and credibility: ✓ School Governance
o Upgrade the ‘One Nation One Data Platform’ to ✓ Educational and Support Processes
provide adequate access control and security ✓ Performance Measurement & Improvement
features, ingestion of harmonised data, etc.
• Other proposals:
o Enable Choice-based Ranking System for diverse Users (students, funding agencies, industries etc.).
o Initiate a robust outreach mechanism in tandem with effective methods of handholding the potential entrants.
o Rather than a one-size-fits-all model in vogue currently, categorise the HEIs based on their orientation/vision
and heritage/legacy.
o Simplify the Accreditation process, especially for the first cycle, and bring down periodicity for Re-accreditation
to three years.

6.2. SEXUAL HARASSMENT AT WORKPLACE

Why in news?
Recently, the Supreme Court took the cognizance of “serious lapses” and “uncertainty” in the implementation of the
Protection of Women from Sexual Harassment (PoSH) Act, 2013.
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More on the news
• The cognizance came in the backdrop of a newspaper
survey revealing only 16 out of 30 national sports
federations in the country had constituted Internal
Complaints Committees (ICC) mandated under the 2013
Act.
• The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) also
issued notices to the erring sports bodies, Sports Authority
of India (SAI) and the Board of Control for Cricket in India
(BCCI) along with the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.
About Sexual harassment at workplace
• Sexual harassment in the workplace is classified under two main types (refer to the infographics).
• Cost of Sexual harassment at workplace
o Individuals: Psychological suffering; behavioral change like isolation; Stress-related physical and mental illness;
and Professional losses like foregoing career opportunities.
o Employers/Enterprises: Low
productivity, Hindered progress and
innovation, Poor image of company, etc.
o Society: Women’s undermined access to
high-status; Legal and criminal justice
expenses; Long term rehabilitation costs;
etc.
• To make workplaces safer for women by
preventing, prohibiting, and redressing acts
of sexual harassment against them in the
workplace ‘Sexual Harassment of Women at
Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act or POSH, 2013’ was enacted.
o The Act broadened and gave legislative backing to what are known as the Vishaka Guidelines laid down by the
Supreme Court in a judgment passed in 1997.
Key Provisions of POSH Act 2013
• Definition of Sexual harassment: Sexual harassment includes anyone or more of the following unwelcome acts or
behaviour (whether directly or by implication), namely:
o Physical contact or advances;
o A demand or request for sexual favours;
o Making sexually coloured remarks;
o Showing pornography;
o Any other unwelcome physical, verbal, or non-verbal conduct of a sexual nature
• Definition of workplace: Any place visited by the employee arising out of or during the course of employment,
including transportation provided by the employer for undertaking such a journey.”
o A workplace covers both the organised and un-organised sectors.
• Aggrieved woman: Covers all women, irrespective of their age or employment status and whether in organized or
unorganized sectors, public or private.
o It also covers clients, customers and domestic workers as well.
• Grievance redressal mechanism
Complaints • Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) is mandatory in every private or public organisation that has 10 or
Committee more employees.
o The ICC needs to have a minimum of four members and at least half of them women of whom one
shall be an external member.
o The ICC has powers similar to those of a civil court.
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 • District Officer to constitute Local Committee to receive complaints from organisations with less than 10
workers or if complaint is against the employer itself.
Procedure of • Any aggrieved victim or her legal heir may file a complaint for the ICC to take action.
filing • The complaint must be made “within three months from the date of the incident”.
complaint o However, the ICC can extend the time limit.
Conciliation • The ICC may, before inquiry, and at the request of the aggrieved woman, take steps to settle the matter
between her and the respondent through conciliation.
o However, “no monetary settlement’’ shall be made as a basis of conciliation.
Inquiry • The ICC may either forward the victim’s complaint to the police, or it can start an inquiry that has to be
completed within 90 days.
o When the inquiry is completed, the ICC must provide a report of its findings to the employer within
10 days.
Action • If the allegations of sexual harassment are proved, the ICC will recommend to the employer to take action
against the “in accordance with the provisions of the service rules” of the company.
perpetrator
Appeal • If either the aggrieved woman or the respondent is not satisfied, they may appeal in court within 90 days.
False • The ICC “may recommend” to the employer that it take action against the woman, or the person who has
complaint made the complaint, in “accordance with the provisions of the service rules”.
Ensuring • The identity of the woman, respondent, witness, any information on the inquiry, recommendation and
privacy action taken, should not be made public
Challenges in preventing sexual harassment at workplace
• Subjectivity of the term sexual harassment: There is no single definition which can define prohibited sexual
behaviour.
o Also, since sexual harassment involves a range of behaviors, even the victims find it difficult to explain what they
experienced.
• Dismissive attitude of organisations: Organizations often lack comprehensive and well-communicated policies and
procedures to address sexual harassment.
o In the absence of formal structures, women often hold back from sharing incidents about sexual harassment.
• Reporting barrier: Often victim hesitate to report complaints against offenders due to concerns about potential
repercussions such as job loss, social stigma, damage to family reputation, and so on.
• Challenges of Cross-Cultural and Global Contexts: Organizations operating in diverse cultural contexts face the
challenge of addressing differing attitudes, beliefs, and legal frameworks surrounding sexual harassment.
o Cultural norms, language barriers, and variations in legal definitions can complicate prevention efforts.
• Shortcoming in the POSH Act:
o The law protects only women, even though victim of sexual harassment could be from any gender.
o The law is silent on the incidents of sexual harassment perpetrated by the same sex.
o Action against the perpetrator is taken by the employer based on the provisions of the service rules of the
company. These may vary from company to company.
Way ahead
• Establish ICC: Ensure that all organizations, regardless of size or sector, establish ICCs as mandated by law.
• Implement Effective Grievance Redressal: Provide adequate resources to handle complaints promptly, ensuring fair
investigations and appropriate actions against perpetrators.
o Zero tolerance policy should be adopted within code of conduct for employees to show companies' firmness
against such sexual harassment.
• Enhancing understanding of sexual harassment: Conduct regular training for all staff and management to enhance
understanding of specific behaviors that may amount to sexual harassment.
• Encourage Reporting: Create a supportive environment that encourages victims to come forward without fear of
retaliation.
• Increase Public Awareness: There must be greater involvement of public in awareness programmes to ensure victims
come forward with their problems and complaints.

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• Amending the POSH Act, 2013:
o A gender-neutral law to prevent sexual harassment would have to prioritize equality, safety, and justice for all
including those of non-normative gender identities.
o The law must address the incidents of sexual harassment cases involving same sex.
o Action against the perpetrator should be defined objectively.

6.3. NEWS IN SHORTS

6.3.1. POSHAN BHI, PADHAI BHI (PBPB) targets and 2030 Sustainable Development Goal
(SDG) 2.2 (end all forms of malnutrition) targets.
SCHEME
• Key findings
• Union Ministry of Women and Child Development o In 2022, 22.3 percent of children under age five
(WCD) launched PBPB Scheme. worldwide were affected by stunting (too short for
• PBPB will focus on Early Childhood Care and Education his/her age).
(ECCE) (first six years of children) at anganwadis across ✓ India had a stunting rate of 31.7 percent in
the country. 2022 (down from 41.6 per cent in 2012).
• Key Highlights of the Scheme: o In 2022, an estimated 45 million children (6.8
o It envisages training of anganwadi workers through percent) under five were affected by wasting (too
the National Institute of Public Cooperation and thin for his/her height).
Child Development (NIPCCD). ✓ In 2020, 18.7 percent of Indian children were
o It targets children’s development in every domain affected by wasting, caused by poor nutrient
mentioned in the National Curriculum intake and/or recurrent illnesses.
Framework, like physical and motor development, o 37 million children (5.6 percent) under five are
cognitive development etc. overweight (too heavy for his/her height) globally.
o It will focus on promoting holistic and quality early ✓ India had an overweight percentage of 2.8
stimulation and pre-primary education for percent in 2022 (2.2 percent in 2012).
children. • Malnutrition refers to deficiencies or excesses in
• ECCE refers to providing care including health and nutrient intake, imbalance of essential nutrients or
nutrition as well as early learning opportunities to all impaired nutrient utilization.
young children. • Indian Initiatives to tackle malnutrition: Integrated
o A protective and stimulating environment Child Development Schemes (ICDS); Nutritional
consisting of play-based and developmentally Rehabilitation Centre; Poshan Abhiyan (National
appropriate activities are vital for children’s Nutrition Mission) etc.
physical-motor, cognitive, socio-emotional and
language development. 6.3.3. ISSUE OF CHILD MARRIAGE
o EECE is a crucial component of Mission Saksham
• UNICEF has said that the Global polycrisis slow the
Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 (Mission Poshan 2.0)
progress to end child marriage.
and it was foreseen under the National Education
• As per the new analysis by UNICEF, multiple crises
Policy (NEP), 2020.
including conflict, climate shocks, and the ongoing
• Anganwadi centers in India:
fallout from COVID-19 are threatening to reverse hard-
o They are established under Integrated Child
earned decline in child marriage in the last decade.
Development Scheme (1975).
• Key highlights
o 1.39 million operational Anganwadi centers
o Approx. 640 million girls and women alive today
across the country are providing supplementary
were married in childhood or 12 million girls per
nutrition and early care and education to around
year.
80 million children under the age of 6 years.
o Global child marriage rates decreased slightly to
6.3.2. CHILD MALNUTRITION 19%, but progress is insufficient to meet SDG
target of ending child marriage by 2030.
• Levels and Trends in Child Malnutrition: Joint Child o While India has recorded significant progress in
Malnutrition Estimates 2023 released. recent decades, it still accounts for one-third of
• Report was jointly published by UNICEF, World Health world’s child brides.
Organisation (WHO) and World Bank Group. • Reasons for Child Marriages: Gender inequality, social
o It reveals insufficient progress to reach 2025 norms, poverty, lack of education, safety concerns
World Health Assembly (WHA) global nutrition about girl children, control over sexuality etc.
72 www.visionias.in ©Vision IAS
• Initiatives taken o Developing IDPs’ livelihoods and skills to
o Prohibition of Child Marriage Act of 2006 that facilitate durable solutions by increasing their
provides legal age for marriage. food security countries’ self-reliance.
o Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) scheme and o Investments are needed in anticipatory action
similar schemes by state governments to improve and risk reduction measures that strengthen
the factors linked to child marriage. displaced communities’ resilience.
o A parliamentary standing committee is weighing
the pros and cons of raising the age of marriage
for women to 21.

6.3.5. NATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS

COMMISSION (NHRC) ACCREDITATION
• Global Alliance for National Human Rights Institutions
(GANHRI) defer NHRC accreditation.
• For the second time in a row, GANHRI deferred
accreditation of NHRC citing objections like political
6.3.4. INTERNAL DISPLACEMENT interference in appointments, involving police in
probes into human rights violations, poor cooperation
• Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC) with civil society etc.
released its 2023 Global Report on Internal o Without the accreditation, NHRC will be unable to
Displacement (GRID). represent India at UN Human Rights Council
• IDMC's GRID is world’s leading source of data and (UNHRC).
analysis on Internal Displacement (ID). The 2023 • GANHRI is responsible for reviewing and accrediting
edition includes a special focus on complex National Human Rights Institutions (NHRI) in
relationships between disasters, conflict and violence, compliance with Paris Principles every five years.
food security and ID. o Paris Principles, adopted in 1993 by U.N. General
o IDMC was established in 1998 as part of Assembly, helps in development of standards for
Norwegian Refugee Council. NHRI across the world.
• ID refers to number of forced movements of people
within borders of their country. Internally Displaced
Persons (IDPs) are individuals/groups forced to leave
their places of habitual residence to avoid conflict.
• Key findings
o Total number of IDPs reached its highest ever with
71.1 million IDPs across 110 countries and
territories at end of 2022, a 20% increase in a year
(refer image).
✓ Total IDPs in India include 6.31 lakh from
conflict and violence while 32 thousand due
to disasters.
o 75% of countries assessed with food security
crises have IDPs.
• Recommendations
o Unconditional cash assistance for supporting
immediate needs of IDPs.

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• In 2016 too, NHRC’s accreditation was deferred by a regional networks of Africa, Americas, Asia-Pacific, and
year and later in its recommendations in 2017 GANHRI Europe.
asked the NHRC to address its lack of diversity • HQ: Geneva, Switzerland.
(regarding women representatives from other
marginalised social groups). 6.3.6. SAKSHAM LEARNING
o An amendment to Protection of Human Rights Act MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM
in 2019 sought to address these concerns. (LMIS)
✓ It increased members of NHRC and made
• Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has launched
chairpersons of National Commission for
the SAKSHAM (Stimulating Advanced Knowledge for
Backward Classes and National Commission
Sustainable Health Management) LMIS.
for Protection of Child Rights, and Chief
o It has been developed by the National Institute of
Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities
Health & Family Welfare (NIHFW), New Delhi.
deemed members of NHRC.
• SAKSHAM is a dedicated and unified platform for
About Global Alliance of National Human Rights
providing online training and medical education to all
Institutions (GANHRI)
health professionals in the country.
• It was established in 1993 as International
Coordinating Committee of National Institutions for o It will ensure inclusive capacity building of health
promotion and protection of human rights (ICC). professionals from primary health centres located
• General Assembly is GANHRI’s supreme deliberative in rural and remote areas all the way up to tertiary
body. care and corporate hospitals in metropolitan cities.
• Bureau is the GANHRI executive committee. It is
comprised of 16 members, 4 from each of GANHRI

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6. SOCIAL ISSUES
6.1. SOCIAL JUSTICE AND DECENT WORK
Why in news?
Recently, the International Labour Organization (ILO) released
a report titled ‘Advancing social justice’ that calls for advancing
social justice through promoting decent work.
About social justice
• Social justice is about fairness, equality and having a voice
and the agency to shape one's own life.
• It has four interrelated and interdependent dimensions
(See infographics).
Social justice and decent work
• ILO defines decent work as "productive work for women
and men in conditions of freedom, equity, security and
human dignity".
• Ensuring decent work for all is an essential aspect of
sustainable development as it promotes social justice
through:
o Eliminating poverty and inequality through adequate
living wage and social protection to low-income
households.
o Ensuring material well-being and improvements in
living standards of the vulnerable sections
o Improving health and ensuring quality education for
the workers and their families.
o Enables people to work with dignity and fosters social
inclusion.
• Therefore, it can be said that Social justice and decent
work reinforces each other.
o In 2015 the ILO launched the Decent Work Agenda to
help achieve Goal 8 of the 2030 Agenda for
Sustainable Development (decent work and economic
growth).
Challenges in achieving social justice
• Injustices persist: In 2022, 685 million people were living
in extreme poverty and 160 million children were engaged
in child labour in 2020 (ILO).
o Also, close to 50 million people were living in modern
slavery in 2021 (ILO).
o These people are unable to secure sufficient resources
to meet their basic needs for safe drinking water, food
and sanitation, health and shelter.
• Widespread labour market insecurity: Globally, more than
4 billion people are excluded from any form of social protection (as per recent ILO data).
o Also, more than 60% of the global workforce is in the informal economy and is twice as likely to live in poverty
as than those in the formal economy.
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 o Casual work is widespread and is rising in importance, whereas climate change endangers jobs, livelihoods and
enterprises.
• Inequality high and rising: Globally women earn approximately 20% less than men.
o Pay gaps are even wider when gender intersects with other grounds of discrimination, such as race, disability and
migrant status.
o Lack of investment in public services and other public goods like health and education is also reinforcing
inequality.
• Weakening Social Contracts: Disaffection and loss of trust in national governance is rising. And the increasing
polarization within societies is undermining solidarity.
• Compounding crises: The existing inequalities and injustices are compounded by the pandemic, inflation, extreme
weather events and Russia-Ukraine war, etc.
Way ahead to attain social justice
• Ensuring access to Decent work: Create jobs through public
and private investment and address macroeconomic
imbalances such as the debt burden.
o Rural diversification of decent jobs is also crucial for
providing decent jobs outside urban areas, including in the
agricultural (for example with the agro-processing sector).
o Ensure women’s access to productive resources such as
land and credit which are particularly relevant for women
in the agricultural sector and micro and small enterprises.
o Embed employment objectives and social protection
policies in climate change mitigation and adaptation
strategies.
o Minimum wages should be regularly adjusted with
inflation and take into account the needs of workers and
their families.
✓ It must be wider and cover agricultural workers,
domestic workers and migrant workers and achieve
sufficient levels of compliance.
• Restore trust in public institutions: Governments, employers’ and workers’ organizations can engage in social
dialogue on policies to shape joint solutions and build trust.
• Fair transition to technology: Adequate attention needs to be given to data privacy and the risks of Artificial
Intelligence (AI) bias, such as discrimination.
• Global Coalition for Social Justice: It would elevate social justice as a global policy imperative requiring greater
multilateral cooperation and policy coherence.
• Other: Protecting people over the life cycle, quality early childhood care and education, investing in social protection
systems, etc.

6.2. NEWS IN SHORTS

6.2.1. NATIONAL INDICATOR o IAEG-SDGs composed of Member States and
FRAMEWORK (NIF) FOR SDGS including regional and international agencies as
• The Ministry of Statistics and Programme observers.
Implementation (MoSPI) has released the Sustainable o It was set up by the UN Statistical Commission
Development Goals (SDGs) National Indicator (UNSC).
Framework (NIF) Progress Report 2023. o India, through MoSPI, represented Southern Asia
• For monitoring SDG Goals and targets, a Global in IAEG-SDGs for the term 2021-2023.
Indicator Framework (GIF) was framed by the Inter- o India was also a member of IAEG-SDGs during
agency and Expert Group on SDG Indicators (IAEG- 2015-2017 and 2017-2019 for two consecutive
SDGs). terms.
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• At present, the GIF includes 248 indicators, with 231 o Political participation: Govt has reserved 33% of
unique indicators. the seats in Panchayati Raj Institutions for women.
o National statistical agencies and other relevant
institutions are responsible for collecting data and
reporting on the indicators.
o Towards this endeavor the MoSPI developed a
National Indicator Framework (NIF) in 2018.
• The NIF includes indicators that align with the SDGs
global indicators and also includes the indicators which
are tailored to suit India's specific requirements. 6.2.3. 2023 GENDER SOCIAL NORMS
o It also specifies the data sources (government INDEX (GSNI) REPORT
statistics from different surveys, administrative
• United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
data and various censuses) and periodicity for
released 2023 Gender Social Norms Index (GSNI)
each indicator.
report.
• NIF, similar to GIF, is evolving in nature. At present,
• Report is titled as ‘Breaking Down Gender Biases:
there are 284 indicators in the NIF, 2023.
Shifting social norms towards gender equality’.
o The 2023 NIF provides an overview of the progress
• GSNI captures beliefs, biases and prejudices regarding
made by India on SDGs and the data gaps which
gender equality in capabilities and rights, which
need to be addressed for better monitoring of
provides an account of the root causes of gender
SDGs.
inequality.
• In 2019, the Ministry has developed and circulated
• GSNI covers four key dimensions and their indicators
Guidelines to the States/UTs for development of State
(refer infographic). Each indicator takes a value of 1
Indicator Framework (SIF) in respective States/UTs.
when an individual has a bias and 0 when the
To know more on Key Findings of the SDG NIF Progress individual does not.
Report 2023, refer Appendix. o GSNI is calculated using data from World Values
Survey which are used to create seven indicators
6.2.2. GENDER GAP REPORT-2023 using data from 80 countries and territories,
• World Economic Forum’s (WEF) released Gender Gap covering 85% of global population.
• Key findings
Report- 2023.
o Close to 9 out of 10 men and women hold biases
• As per the latest report, India has ranked at 127 out of
against women.
146 countries in terms of gender equality.
o Nearly 50% of people believe that men make
o India has improved 1.4% points and 8 places from
better political leaders than women do, and
its earlier rank of 135 from 2022 index.
around 40% believe that men make better
• Key Highlights of the report:
business executives than women do.
o At the current rate of progress, it will take 131
o Biased gender social norms are major impediment
years to reach full parity.
to achieving gender equality and empowering all
o Iceland with 91.2% takes the top spot along with
women and girls (SDG 5).
Norway (87.9%) and Finland (86.3%)
o Gender biases are pronounced in both lower and
o India has attained better parity in education
higher HDI countries.
enrolment
• Reasons for persistence of gender social norms
✓ However, it has reached only 36.7% parity on
o Socialization into gender norms from early age
Economic Participation and Opportunity and
and parental attitudes.
25.3% parity On Political Empowerment.
o Institutionalization of discriminatory social
o Bangladesh (59), China (107), Nepal (116), Sri
practices and gender hierarchies.
Lanka (115) and Bhutan (103) fared better than
o Social sanctioning, where behaviour abiding with
India on Gender parity.
norms is socially rewarded.
• Govt initiatives to improve Gender Parity:
o Economic Participation and Health &
Survival: Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, Rashtriya
Mahila Kosh,Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandna Yojna,
Sukanya Samriddhi Yojna.
o Education attainment: Samagra Shiksha initiative,
Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas.
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6.2.4. MODERN SLAVERY
• G20 countries including India are fuelling modern
slavery, says new report. 6.2.5. GLOBAL TRENDS: FORCED
• Walk Free (international human rights group) released DISPLACEMENT IN 2022 REPORT
the Global Slavery Index 2023, an assessment of
modern slavery conditions in 160 countries. • Report was released by the United Nations High
o Index uses the data released by International Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
Labour Organisation (ILO), Walk Free, and • Report provides data on Refugees Asylum seekers,
International Organisation for Migration (IOM). Internally displaced, Stateless persons, and People who
• Modern slavery refers to situations of exploitation that have returned to their countries or areas of origin
a person cannot refuse or leave because of threats, • Key highlights of the report
violence, coercion, or deception. o Around 108.4 Mn people were forcibly displaced
o It is an umbrella term that comprises various worldwide as a result of fear of persecution,
instruments of repression. (see image) conflict, violence, human rights violations
• Key findings ✓ The number of people who migrated
o 50 million people were living in modern slavery on forcefully due to social and climate crises in
any given day in 2021, an increase of 10 million 2022 was 21% higher than in 2021 — the most
people since 2016. significant increase ever.
✓ Among the 50 million, 28 million suffer from ✓ 30% of forcefully displaced were children.
forced labour and 22 million from forced o 76 % of the world’s refugees are hosted by Low-
marriages. and middle-income countries.
o India tops the list with 11 million people working o Around 4.4 Mn people are stateless or of
as forced labourers, followed by China, Russia. undetermined nationality, which is 2% more than
o North Korea followed by Eritrea has highest that of 2021.
prevalence and Switzerland followed by Norway o 6 million displaced people returned to their areas
have lowest prevalence of modern slavery. or countries of origin in 2022.
o Driving factors of slavery: Climate degradation, • Recommendations
gender inequality, COVID-19, and conflict. o Durable solutions like voluntary repatriation and
• Recommendations resettlement in a third country can be done in a
o Recognise and respond to modern slavery as an phased manner.
intersectional issue. o By enhancing refugees' self-reliance by building
o Strengthen social protection and safety nets to their capacities and ease pressure on host
boost resilience. countries.
o Repealing migration policies that place national o Through Local integration the refugees can build
security above human rights. new lives in host countries.
o Ensuring Safety and security of internally
displaced people and provide them better access
to livelihood.

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 6.2.7. INDIA RANKINGS 2023 OF HEIS
• Ministry of Education has released 8th edition of India
Rankings of Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) in
country.
o Ranking is based on National Institutional Ranking
Framework (NIRF).
6.2.6. UGC (INSTITUTIONS DEEMED TO o Five broad categories of parameters identified in
BE UNIVERSITIES) REGULATIONS, 2023 NIRF includes
✓ Teaching; Learning and Resources; Research
• Ministry of Education (MoE) released UGC
and Professional Practice; Graduation
(Institutions Deemed to be Universities) Regulations,
Outcome; Inclusivity and Outreach; and
2023.
Perception.
• Superseding UGC (Institutions Deemed to be • 2023 edition of India Rankings
Universities) Regulations 2019, new regulations will o Introduced a new subject namely Agriculture &
encourage universities to focus on quality & Allied Sectors
excellence, strengthen research ecosystem and o Integrated “Innovation” ranking previously
transform higher education landscape. executed by Atal Ranking of Institutions on
o Earlier, Regulations was notified in 2010 and Innovation Achievements (ARIIA) into India
revised in 2016 and 2019. Rankings.
• Salient features of regulations o Expansion of scope of “Architecture” to
o Regulations are aligned with National Education “Architecture and Planning”.
Policy, 2020. • IIT Madras topped in Overall Category followed by
o Cluster of institutions managed by more than one Indian Institute of Sciences.
sponsoring body can apply for Deemed to be • The rankings are based on indicators taking into
University (DtbU) status. account academic reputation, employer reputation
o Institutions DtbU may start new courses or and faculty
programs in any field, with prior approval of its
Executive Council and, also wherever applicable, 6.2.8. WORLD DRUG REPORT 2023
with approval of relevant statutory council.
o Institutions DtbU shall compulsorily create • World Drug Report 2023 released by the UN Office on
Academic Bank of Credits (ABC) identities of their Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
students and upload their credit scores in digital • The UNODC is a global leader in the fight against illicit
lockers. drugs and international crime headquartered in
• Deemed to be University (DtbU) Vienna.
o UGC Act 1956 provides for Central Government to o It provides technical assistance, research and
declare any institution other than a University to normative support to Member States
a status of Institution DtbU under Section 2(f). • Key findings of the report
Upon declaration, such institution shall be deemed o 23% increase in the previous decade in the
to be a university. number of people using drugs (296 million)
globally.
o 45% increase in the past decade in people
suffering from drug use disorder(39.5 million).
o The report stressed on

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 ✓ Drug-related disparities and inequalities: leading to environmental damage like in
▪ Inequality and social and economic Amazon forest.
disparities continue to drive and be driven ▪ Illicit drug trade finances non-state
by the drug phenomenon. armed and insurgency groups in the Sahel
▪ Disparities between the global North and region.
South, urban and rural settings, and across ✓ Prioritizing public health in regulating medical
subpopulations all contribute to the harm use of controlled drugs: Without adequate
from drugs. framework psychedelic drugs meant to
✓ Illicit drug economies accelerating conflicts, medicinal use it could be diverted to illegal
human rights abuses, and environmental drug markets.
devastation ✓ Increasing dominance of synthetic drugs:
▪ Illegal logging, mining and land Criminals producing synthetic drugs
occupation along with wildlife trafficking like methamphetamine, Fentanyl create
challenges for law and enforcement.

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6. SOCIAL ISSUES
6.1. RIGHT-BASED APPROACH FOR DEVELOPMENT
Why in the news?
Recently, the Rajasthan government introduced ‘The Rajasthan Minimum Guaranteed Income Bill, 2023’.
More about News
• Bill proposes a minimum guaranteed income in the form of a guaranteed wage or through pension.
o The bill seeks to provide employment at both Urban and Rural levels.
o The Bill is also in line with Article 38(2) (to minimise inequalities) and Article 41 (Right to Work) of the Directive
Principles of State Policy.
• Similar approach was also followed by many states like Tamil Nadu, Jharkhand, Himachal Pradesh, etc during the
Covid-19 Pandemic.
• Experts believe that such initiatives are advocates for a Right based approach towards development.
About Right Based Approach
• A rights-based approach views
development as the process of realizing
fundamental human rights and freedoms,
thus expanding people’s choices and
capabilities to live the lives that they value.
• A rights-based approach puts the poor,
marginalized, vulnerable groups at the core
of policy and the focus of capacity
development strategies.
• In general, the developmental ecosystem
includes Health, Education, Employment,
Disability Cover, Gratuity, pension, etc.
• India has implemented such right based approaches towards
development like MGNREGA Act, RTI Act, etc.
Need of Right based approach
• People’s participation: It recognizes that people are actors in their
development, rather than passive recipients of services.
• Inclusive development: Preferential treatment for certain
disadvantaged groups can lead to equitable development. For
example the Forest Rights Act, establishes special rights of tribals over
forest areas.
o Right-based social security systems also respond better to new
demographic challenges, such as ageing and changing family
structures for inclusive development.
• Accountability of Government: A rights-based approach develops
the capacity of duty-bearers to meet their obligations and encourages
rights holders to claim their rights. For e.g. Right to Information Act
2005.
• Poverty reduction: ‘National Multidimensional Poverty Index: A
Progress Review 2023’ reported that 14.96% (2019-2021) population
comes under multidimensional poverty.
o The right-based approach can be useful for breaking the intergenerational transmission of poverty.

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• Act as a cushion in the time of Crisis: For e.g. during COVID-19 Indian government was able to extend NFSA to other
beneficiaries and increase the allotment of food grains.
Challenges in implementing Right based Approach
• Development foregone: The mass distribution of welfare goods also has high costs to the public exchequer, especially
in terms of trade-offs with long-term developmental initiatives.
o For example, the cost of food subsidy is estimated to be Rs 2 lakh crore for the Centre for 2023.
• Technology constraints: Lack of data protection legislation hinders effective utilisation of technological intervention.
• Beneficiary may become averse: This could be due to cumbersome documentation requirements during enrolment or
subsequent inclusion-exclusion errors and lack of grievance redressal.
Way forward
• Autonomy to Financial institutions: So that invisible and irrational expenditures of Governments can be better
monitored and channelled towards more productive uses.
• Eliminate leakage: Streamline identification measures for better targeting of the poor and implement sound policy
correction is needed to plug corruption during the distribution of welfare goods.
• Data-based policy: Collect disaggregated data regarding gender, age, ethnicity, and disability to monitor and evaluate
social protection programmes. Also, the protection of such data is a prerequisite for public trust.
• Grievance redressal mechanism: Incorporate effective complaints mechanisms that guarantee anonymity, allow for
individual and collective complaints, etc.
• Periodical reviews: These will help rectify any shortcoming that is hindering the goal of the welfare scheme.

6.2. WATER, SANITATION AND HYGIENE (WASH)

Why in the news?
Recently, World Health Organization (WHO) released a report
‘Burden of disease attributable to unsafe drinking-water,
sanitation and hygiene (WASH)’.
More on News
• WASH is a collective term for Water, Sanitation and
Hygiene relating to:
o Access to safe drinking water
o Improved sanitation facilities
o Maintaining basic level of hygiene
• SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation aims to ensure the
availability and sustainable management of water and
sanitation for all.
• The report stated that in 2019, the use of safe WASH services could have prevented 2.5% of all deaths and 2.9% of
all Disability-Adjusted Life years (DALYs) globally.
• Current Status of India, as per UNICEF
o The number of people defecating in the open in India has reduced significantly by an estimated 450 million people.
o Inadequate WASH services in health facilities contributes to the high neonatal mortality rate, which is currently
around 24 deaths per 1000 live births.
Challenges of WASH implementation
• Gender Inequality: Women are often left out when it comes to the planning or designing of WASH projects making
the implementation of the project a challenge.
o According to UN report, in India a quarter of rural households’ women and girls devote more than 50 minutes per
day for collecting water.
• Behavioural challenges: Multiple factors such as habits, attitude, and lack of will, prevent the conversion of hygiene-
related knowledge into practice.

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 o For e.g. familiarity to
traditional setup
makes people to resist
to new hygiene
facilities and ideas.
For example, Toilets
made under SBM
were often not used.
• Poor affordability to
Hygiene products: For
example-In the remote
location, not many
women can afford to buy
enough sanitary products
such as disposable pads,
tampons or menstrual
cups.
• Lack of involvement of
civil society: Most of the
hygiene initiatives are
implemented by
nongovernmental
organizations (NGOs) but they have little role in policy/scheme formulation.
• Exposure to unsafe drinking-water: Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) had reported that 276 districts in India
have groundwater contaminated with fluoride, arsenic, and nitrate beyond the permissible limits.
• Lack of information on hygiene infrastructure: There is a lack of recent, reliable information on the condition of
existing hygiene infrastructure.
Way forward
• Behavioural Change: Nudging was used under the SBM for changing open defecating behaviour through mass media
“nudge” interventions such as the Darwaza Band campaign.
• Awareness: Households/Individuals need to be taught with the help of Information, Education, and Communication
(IEC) about the benefits of WASH and its positive impacts.
• Gender sensitive building code: Community water and sanitation facilities should include sex segregated cubicles,
closeness to the house and lighted pathways to and at facilities.
• Community participation: This will help to consider local factors in planning and it will help to break the One Size Fit
for All approach.
• Focusing Disadvantaged areas: Areas such Left Wing affected areas often lack human resources to manage and
implement the WASH strategy hence they require more human resource and financial allocations.
• Cost-efficient investments: Making programmes cost-efficient by following an outcome-based approach and also on
the usability of social infrastructure constructed.
• Strengthening Enforcement, Monitoring & Feedback: Strengthening accountability mechanisms, enforcement,
participatory monitoring, evaluation iterative learning through doing and closing the feedback loop by modifying
responses.
• Cross-Sectoral Collaborations: Continue to strengthen and expand cross-sectional collaboration including protection
for disability, older people, children, etc.

6.3. WORLD FOOD PROGRAMME (WFP) AND GLOBAL FOOD CRISIS

Why in the news?
This year the World Food Programme has received funding half of the operating requirement.

79 www.visionias.in ©Vision IAS

More on News
• The WFP has a presence in over 120 countries and territories to bring life-saving food to people displaced by conflict
and made destitute by disasters.
• However, given the extent of the current global food crisis, WFP is struggling to manage the crisis.
Global Food Crisis and WFP
• An acute rise in hunger: More than
345 million people face high levels
of food insecurity in 2023.
o That is more than double the
number in 2020 due to COVID-
19, the Russia-Ukraine war,
conflicts, economic decline, etc.
• Lack of funds: The number of
acutely hungry people continues to
increase at a pace that funding is
unable to match.
o The cost of delivering food
assistance is 44 per cent more
than in 2019 because of food and fuel prices.
• Logistics: The world's hungry often live in remote, difficult-to-access areas. For example, in South Sudan areas of the
country are isolated during the rainy season.
• Climate Change and Natural Disasters: Increasing frequency and intensity of natural disasters, exacerbated by climate
change has affected WFP response capacities.
Way forward
• Efficient Logistics Management: Investing in advanced
logistics systems, partnering with local organisations and
companies, and using technology to track and optimise
food delivery.
• Empowering Local Communities: Working with local
communities and empowering them to take an active role
in food security initiatives can foster sustainability and
enhance the effectiveness of assistance programs.
• Better coordination: with other humanitarian
organisations, UN agencies, and local governments can
lead to more efficient resource allocation and avoid
duplication of efforts.
• Better data analysis: Technological innovations in the area of data collection and processing to ensure that affected
people’s voices and perspectives are being heard and incorporated into the solutions offered by WFP.
Other Related Information: WFP works in India
Transforming the Targeted • Piloting innovative solutions such as the recent 'Annapurti', automatic grain dispensers-
Public Distribution System ATMs for rice-that are aimed at checking malpractices in the distribution system.
(PDS)
Fortification of • To boost the nutritional value of the Government’s Midday Meal school feeding program,
government-distributed WFP is pioneering the multi-micronutrient fortification of school meals.
food
Food insecurity mapping • WFP uses its own Vulnerability Analysis and Mapping software to identify India’s most food-
and monitoring insecure areas, which allows policy and relief work to be targeted appropriately.
• WFP is also supporting the government’s Poverty and Human Development Monitoring
Agency in establishing a State-level Food Security Analysis Unit.

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6.4. URBANISATION AND AGRI-FOOD SYSTEM
Why in the news?
The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the
World (SOFI), 2023, was recently released.
About the report
• Annual Report jointly prepared by:
o Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
of the United Nations,
o International Fund for Agricultural
Development (IFAD),
o United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF),
o World Food Programme (WFP), and
o World Health Organization (WHO).
• Key Findings related to hunger and nutrition:
o 122 million more people are facing hunger since 2019 due to the pandemic and repeated weather shocks and
conflicts.
o In 2021,
✓ 22.3% of children were stunted (low height-for-age),
✓ 6.8% were wasted (weight too low for their height),
✓ 5.6% were overweight.
• SOFI 2023 has also emphasised different aspects of the changing agrifood systems amidst urbanisation.
o Urbanisation has changed how, where and what food is produced, supplied and consumed.
How urbanisation influences agri-food systems?
• Creates diversity in food choices: With urbanisation and rising incomes, households consume more and more diverse
food, including more processed foods.
• Better linkages: Midstream and downstream food supply chains have grown due to increased infrastructure
investments such as roads, warehouses, and cold storage facilities.
o With better interlinkages, rural producers often have better access to agricultural inputs, allowing for improved
productivity and increased income levels.
• Diverse employment opportunities: along the food value chain, including processing, marketing, and trade.
• Other: Increasing number and size of (peri-)urban food markets (formal and informal) and retail outlets and
substantial expansion of supermarkets.
Adverse consequences emerging from the impact of urbanisation on agri-food systems
• The high cost of nutritious foods relative to processed, energy-dense foods high in fats, sugars, and salt is also
unaffordable for the poor.
o It can also contribute to malnutrition.
• Loss of income opportunities due to exclusion from value chains of small farmers due to value chain formalisation.
• Peri-urban agricultural livelihoods threatened by urban expansion.
• Reduced demand for traditional foods and increasing unhealthy diets.
• Change in land use due to urban expansion.
• Growth of food desserts and swamps:
o Food deserts are geographic areas where residents’ access to diverse, fresh or nutritious foods is limited due to
the absence of “food entry points” within a practical travelling distance.
o Food swamps are areas with an overabundance of high-energy-density foods and minimal nutritional value.
Measures to tackle challenges and promote opportunities
• The policy approach needs to leverage the progressive connectivity between urban, peri-urban, and rural areas.
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• Investments in infrastructure, public goods, and enhanced capacities to increase access to ensure food security and
nutrition.
• Public investment in research and development needs to be increased to develop technologies and innovations.
• Agrifood systems governance mechanisms and institutions need to cross-sectoral and administrative boundaries.

6.5. PERFORMANCE GRADING INDEX (PGI) FOR SCHOOL EDUCATION SYSTEM

Why in the news?
Recently, the Ministry of Education released two reports, PGI 2.0 for States/UTs and PGI for Districts (PGI-D).
About PGI and PGI-D
• They assess the performance of school education system at the State and District level.
o Both reports took data from Unified District Information System for Education Plus (UDISE +) 2021-22 data and
National Achievement Survey (NAS) 2021 for preparing report.
o It has classified the States/UTs and districts into ten grades
✓ In decreasing order of grades- Daksh (highest grade), Utkarsh, Atti-Uttam, Uttam, Prachesta-1,2 and 3,
Akanshi-1, 2 and 3(Lowest grade).
• PGI 2.0 for the year 2021-22
o The PGI - States/UTs was first released for the year 2017-18 and so far it has been released up to the year 2020-
21.
o Major Highlights of Index
✓ None of the States/UTs has attained the highest Grade i.e., Daksh.
✓ The top-most grade attained in PGI 2.0 is Prachesta – 2 by only 2 State/UTs-Punjab and Chandigarh.
✓ 3 States, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya and Mizoram are in lowest grade Akanshi – 3.
✓ Reduction in deviation i.e. the deviation between the maximum and minimum scores obtained by States/UTs
is 23.8% of the maximum points in 2021-22, whereas this disparity was 51 % in 2017-18.
• PGI-D combined report for the year 2020-21 & 2021-22
o The index focuses on outcomes, effective classroom transaction, school safety, etc.
✓ None of the districts attained top two grade viz., Daksh and Utkarsh.

6.6. MOTHER TONGUE IN FOUNDATIONAL EDUCATION

Why in the news?
The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE)
has directed its affiliated schools to consider Indian
languages as optional mediums of instruction to
promote multilingual education.
More on News
• The CBSE has advised using an Indian language
listed in Schedule 8 of the Indian Constitution as
an option from pre-primary classes till Class
12.
• The move aligns with the National Education Policy (NEP), 2020, which aims to introduce education in multiple
languages.
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Importance of schooling in the mother tongue
• Better cognitive development: Teaching in a language other than mother tongue often compromises
comprehension and results in rote memorisation and copying of text.
• Personality development: Teaching in the mother tongue can nourish a child's self-esteem and confidence.
• Better engagement: Studies show that it increases classroom participation, reduces the number of dropouts and
grade repetition.
• Home-school partnership: Parents can participate in their child’s education and make the learning experience for the
students more wholesome.
• Preserves cultural heritage: Multilingual education has been widely recognised as a valuable approach to fostering
linguistic diversity, and cultural understanding.
Challenges in using mother tongue in
schools.
• Diversity of Languages: The 2011
census identified 270 mother
tongues. Hence, classrooms might
have children with more than one
spoken language.
• Schools’ resistance to change: In
schools affiliated to the CBSE or ICSE,
English is the main medium of
instruction from the primary classes
despite efforts to get them to adopt
the mother tongue or dominant
regional languages.
• Availability of teachers: Teachers
currently are not recruited based on
languages understood, spoken and
written by children.
• Financial viability: High initial investment need for developing new learning material especially for languages that
have not been standardised or do not have a script.
• Policy issues: Under NEP, 2020 use of mother tongue or home language or regional language is desired not
mandated. Also, there is no clear path to implement this change.
• Preference for English: Parents perceive that knowledge of English can go a long way for their child in the future.
Way ahead
• Gradual transition: The Kothari Commission (1964-66)
suggested that in tribal areas, for the first two years of school,
the medium of instruction and books should be in the local tribal
language.
o The regional language should be taught separately and
become the medium of instruction by the third year.
• Learning by implementing pilot projects: to identify the
problems in implementation and the cost of change.
• Hiring skilled teachers: For multilingual education (MLE) to be
successful, it has to be accompanied by pedagogical changes and trained teachers.
• Collaborative approach: Schools need to collaborate and pool available resources to effectively implement
multilingual education.
• Bridge the digital divide: There is a major linguistic divide in cyberspace today. The inclusion of languages in the digital
world and the creation of inclusive learning content is vital.

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6.7. THE PATHS TO EQUAL REPORT
Why in the news?
Recently UNDP and UN Women jointly released
‘The Paths to Equal: Twin Indices on Women’s
Empowerment and Gender Equality Report.
About the report
• The report introduces two new indices:
o Global Gender Parity Index (GGPI):
Evaluates the status of women relative to
men across four dimensions
✓ Life and good health
✓ Education, skill building and knowledge
✓ Labour and Financial Inclusion
✓ Decision making
o Women’s Empowerment Index (WEI):
Focuses solely on women, measuring their
power and freedom to make choices and
seize opportunities in life. It covers five
dimensions.
✓ In addition to the four dimensions of GGPI, it also covers a new dimension Freedom from violence.
Key findings of the report
• Gender parity: No country has achieved full gender parity.
o In India, gender parity was ‘low’ despite ‘medium’ human development.
• Life and good health: In 2022 more than 1.2 billion women and girls of reproductive age (ages 15–49) lived in
countries with some restriction on access to safe abortion.
• Education, skill building
and knowledge: 11–20
million secondary
school–age girls might
have been forced out of
school due to the
pandemic.
• Labour and Financial
Inclusion: Only 61.8% of
prime-working-age
(ages 25–54) women
globally are in the
labour force since the
past three decades
against more than 90%
of men.
• Decision making: Close to 9 of 10 men and women hold biases against women.
• Freedom from violence: 245 million women (ages 15 and older) are victims of physical/ sexual violence from an
intimate partner each year.

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6.8. NEWS IN SHORTS
6.8.1. SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT 6.8.2. TWO NEW HEALTH BILLS PASSED
GOALS (SDG) PROGRESS REPORT 2023 IN PARLIAMENT
• Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Progress Report • The National Nursing and Midwifery Commission
2023: Special Edition released by UN. (NNMC) Bill, 2023 and the National Dental
• The report, by the UN Department of Economic and Commission (NDC) Bill, 2023, were introduced aimed
Social Affairs (UNDESA), monitors global progress on at improving quality education in the paramedical
the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. (including nurses and midwives) and dental sector,
o SDGs are a set of 17 goals and 169 targets to help respectively.
streamline development actions for human well- o Bills are on the lines of the National Medical
being. Commission (NMC), which aims to improve access
• Key Findings of the Report to quality and affordable medical education.
o Progress on more than 50% of targets of SDGs is • NDC Bill 2023 seeks to repeal the Dentists Act 1948.
weak; on 30 %, it has stalled or gone into reverse. o It proposes to set up the National Dental
o The COVID-19 pandemic and triple crises of Commission (NMC) to regulate dental education
climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution are and the profession in the country.
having a lasting impact. o It provides an exit test for dentists on the lines of
o By 2030, some 84 million children will be out of the National Exit Test.
school and 300 million children or young people • NNMC Bill seeks to repeal the Indian Nursing Council
attending school will leave unable to read and Act of 1947.
write. o It provides for the establishment of the NNMC to
o Under current trends, 575 million people will still frame policies and regulate standards for the
live in extreme poverty in 2030. governance of nursing and midwifery education
• Key areas for urgent action and training.
o Heads of state and government should recommit o It will provide a uniform mechanism for admission
accelerated and transformative action to deliver into nursing and midwifery institutions.
on the promise of SDGs.
o The international community should deliver on
Addis Ababa Action Agenda (which provides a new
global framework for financing sustainable
development).
o Target policies and actions to eradicate poverty
and reduce inequality with a focus on advancing
the rights of women and girls.
o Boost the capacity of the multilateral system to
tackle emerging challenges.

6.8.3. INSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

PLAN (IDP) FOR HIGHER EDUCATION
INSTITUTIONS
• UGC passed guidelines for Institutional Development
Plan (IDP) for Higher Education Institutions (HEIs).
• National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 recognises the
importance of IDP and recommends that each
institution will make a strategic IDP.
o Subsequently, UGC has developed guidelines for
individual HEIs to develop their IDP.
• The necessity for IDPs arises from acknowledging that
a uniform set of norms may not apply to all, as each HEI
requires a different path to progress.
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 o UGC believes that the IDP needs to reflect an and virtual technologies to move towards the idea
integrated approach that is mindful of the of ‘Digital Universities’.
institution’s vision and mission, context, life cycle o Proposes a “fast track promotion system” for
stage, location, character, and aspirations. faculty members to recognise “very high-impact”
• Guidelines in the framework research and contribution.
o Physical infrastructure should support the o It says 50% of the total faculty requirement can be
academic and research activities of various schools contractual (tenured) or visiting from the
and departments of universities. profession/industry.
o The HEIs must also create a road map along with o Each HEI needs to maintain the faculty-student
requisite modes of learning and teaching using ICT ratio as set by the UGC.

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6. SOCIAL ISSUES
6.1. ANUSANDHAN NATIONAL RESEARCH FOUNDATION (NRF) ACT, 2023
Why in the news?
Recently, the President of India has granted assent to the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (NRF) Bill, 2023.
Key highlights of the Act
• Establish the Anusandhan NRF to:
o Provide strategic direction for research, innovation and entrepreneurship in the fields of
✓ natural sciences, including mathematical sciences, engineering and technology, environmental and earth
sciences, health and agriculture, and
✓ scientific and technological interfaces of humanities and social sciences.
o Promote, monitor and provide support as required for such research.

• A Governing Board provide strategic direction to the Foundation and monitors the implementation of the objectives
of the Foundation.
o It shall consist of
✓ President: Prime Minister (ex-officio)
✓ Vice-Presidents: Union Minister of Science & Technology & Union Minister of Education (ex-officio)
✓ Members: Eminent researchers and professionals across disciplines.
o The President of the Governing Board shall constitute an Executive Council to implement the provisions of the
Act.
✓ The Principal Scientific Advisor to the Government of India is the ex officio Chairperson.
• The Department of Science and Technology (DST) will be the administrative Department of NRF.
• Funds for NRF
o The Foundation will be financed through:
✓ grants and loans from the central government,
✓ donations to the fund,
✓ income from investments of the amounts received by the Foundation, and
✓ all amounts with the Fund for Science and Engineering Research set up under the 2008 Act.
o The Governing Board shall constitute the following Funds

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 ✓ Anusandhan National Research Foundation Fund for salaries, allowances, and administrative purposes
✓ Innovation Fund for funding outstanding creativity in the areas supported by the Foundation.
✓ Science and Engineering Research Fund for the continuation of projects initiated under the 2008 Act
✓ One or more special-purpose funds for any specific project or research.
• Repeals Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB) and subsumes it into NRF.
• Anusandhan NRF is modelled on the US National Science Foundation (NSF).
What is the significance of NRF?
• Increase funding: NRF will create a policy framework and regulatory processes to foster collaborations and increase
funding for scientific R&D in the country, both from government and private sources.
o The government has announced a Rs 50,000 crore budget for the NRF, to be disbursed over five years (2023-28).
Union government is contributing Rs 14,000 crore during the period, and ₹36,000 Cr of the research funding is to
come from the private sector.
• Address disparity: Research institutes like IITs and IISc receive significant funding due to their infrastructure and
rankings, thus enabling better facilities.
o The NRF was proposed in the 2020 National Education Policy to build research capacity across India’s academic
centres rather than supporting the few that are already carrying out research.
• Building research capacity: NRF will harness the talent of outstanding serving and retired researchers to mentor
and foster research at state and other universities and colleges where research needs to be germinated or is at a
nascent stage.
• Support multidisciplinary projects: NRF will provide an opportunity for academia, industry, and research institutions
to work together on the country’s priority areas like sustainable infrastructure, clean energy transition, etc.
• Research in social sciences: NRF promotes research in natural sciences, humanities, social sciences and art which is
considered vital for inculcating creativity, critical thinking and communication skills.
Concerns associated with the Act.
• Structural voids unfilled: The NRF Act focuses on project funding rather than providing comprehensive research
block funding to universities and research institutions. The ongoing challenge of sustaining teacher recruitment for
research pursuits remains unresolved.
• Lack of stakeholder: It lacks clarity on involving economic and social ministries and central Public Sector Enterprises
(CPSEs) in decision-making in NRF decisions whose contribution is vital for meaningful research with societal value.
• Challenge to cooperative Federalism: A detailed project report issued for the NRF has plans to offer large support to
the state universities. However, the Act does not incorporate the perspectives of state councils of higher education
and research in the decision-making body.
Way forward
• Prioritising research: NRF should give priority to projects directed towards higher education institutions,
government research institutions, civil society organisations, cooperative industrial R&D and projects catering to
technology development for economic, social and ecological justice.
• Ensure transparency: Modalities of seeding and promoting research by providing funds to less-endowed institutions
and monitoring outcomes should be transparent.
• Prioritising Inclusivity: It is important to ensure that basic research and small-scale research proposals are not
brushed aside.
• Wider Consultation: The evaluation process of NRF should encompass public engagement before proposal approval.
This entails creating a system to openly share proposal abstracts and engage the scientific community and research
users for feedback.
• Address Loopholes: Steps should be taken to address the structural issues like a low number of researchers and focus
on block funding to increase the effectiveness of research in the country.
Case Study: How NSF has transformed Science and Technology in the USA
• Weather forecasting: NSF-supported scientists are improving weather forecasting in the US by studying atmospheric
phenomena such as Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO).
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 • Social: NSF invests in education and training programs, ensuring the generation of ideas to solve pressing global challenges
in science and engineering.
• Scientific development: NSF invests in supercomputers, ground-based telescopes, research stations in the Arctic and
Antarctic, and state-of-the-art tools to sustain the nation's scientific enterprise.
• Collaboration: NSF supports research partnerships between colleges, universities, industry, non-profits, government and
other organizations within the US and across the globe.
o These investments focus on sparking new ideas and creative approaches that can accelerate discovery and transform
knowledge into tangible benefits to society.
• Communication: NSF played an important role in supporting research relevant to the development of the non-fibre
components and devices needed in a fibre-optic communication system.

6.2. NATIONAL CURRICULUM FRAMEWORK FOR SCHOOL EDUCATION (NCF -

SE)
Why in the news?
Ministry of Education recently released NCF-SE, which was prepared by the National Council of Educational Research and
Training (NCERT).
About National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCF-SE)
• NCF-SE aims to positively transform the school education system of India through positive changes in the curriculum,
including pedagogy.
o Pedagogy is the method and practice of teaching used in classrooms by the Teacher to help students learn.
• It is the curriculum framework for the 5+3+3+4 design of schooling as proposed by the National Education Policy
2020 (NEP 2020).
• The NCF-SE was last revised in 2005, and the existing sets of NCERT textbooks were prepared using it.
• The National Steering Committee , under the chairmanship of Prof. K Kasturirangan, was formed to create a
curriculum aligned with the NEP 2020.
o NEP 2020 recommended the formulation of a new and comprehensive NCF-SE and State Curriculum Frameworks
(SCFs).
National Education Policy 2020
Aims
• At increasing the public investment to reach 6%
of GDP at the earliest.
• Increase the GER to 100% in preschool to
secondary level by 2030, whereas GER in Higher
Education, including vocational education, from
26.3% (2018) to 50% by 2035.
Features
• New Curricular and Pedagogical Structure
(5+3+3+4)
• Ensuring Universal Access at All Levels of
schooling from pre-primary school to Grade 12.
• Setting up of a new National Assessment
Centre, PARAKH (Performance Assessment,
Review, and Analysis of Knowledge for Holistic
Development).
• A separate Gender Inclusion fund and Special
Education Zones for disadvantaged regions and
groups.
Key Highlights of NCF-SE
• Curriculum framework: NCF-SE designed it in a 5+3+3+4 (in terms of ages) for schooling in place of the present
schooling structure of 4 stages.
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 o Existing four stages based on age groups: Foundational Stage for ages 3-8, Preparatory Stage for ages 8-11,
Middle Stage for ages 11-14, and Secondary Stage for ages 14-18.
• Board examinations: For Grades 10 and 12, all students will be allowed to take Board examinations on at least two
occasions during any given school year, with only the best score being retained.
• Pattern of study: should move to a semester design instead of an annual exam.
• Multilingualism and Indian Languages: All students are to be proficient in at least three languages, at least two of
which are native to India.
• Flexibility and Choice in the Secondary Stage: No hard separations between academic and vocational subjects or
between science, social science, art, and physical education.
o Students can choose interesting combinations of subjects to receive their school-leaving certificates.
• Vocational Education: Proposes engagement in the three different forms of work – work with life forms (agriculture,
animal husbandry), work with materials and machines, and work in human services.
• Rooted in India: Contributions to the knowledge in various disciplines by Indians from ancient to contemporary times
have been integrated into the curricular goals of all school subjects.
• Capacities for Scientific Inquiry: Science Education emphasises the development of capacities for scientific inquiry
along with acquiring knowledge of fundamental theories, laws, etc.
• Interdisciplinary Areas of Study: It has been introduced as a separate subject of study in the Secondary Stage.
• Environmental Education: It is given due emphasis across all stages of schooling, culminating in a separate area of
study in the Secondary Stage.
• Other features:
o Renewed emphasis on Art and Physical Education & Well-being.
o Principles to ensure equity and inclusion in all its aspects.
o Multidisciplinary education to develop an integrated and holistic perspective and learning.
o School culture and practises are to be developed
Need of NCF-SE
• Contemporary Framework and National Standard across India: Enabling harmony and cogency in school education
across Indian states while recognising that school education is the domain of states.
• Knowledge-based approach: The current educational system is focused on creating exam-focused individuals rather
than fostering a knowledge-based approach.
• Improving Quality of Teachers: The curriculum for the specialisations within the Integrated Teacher Education
Programme (ITEP) is based on the curriculum and pedagogy of the NCF to improve the quality of teachers.
• Involving new techniques: Such as reading and writing on screen-based devices, are the rising norms among people.
• Holistic growth of Students: The curriculum for the four stages of schooling is designed based on considerations of
child development, conceptual development, and the appropriate modes of inquiry at each age range.
Concerns with NCF-SE
• Over-centralised curriculum design: As it is contrary to the concurrent nature of education in the federal structure
and the role of states in ensuring cultural diversity and equity.
• Logistical challenges: Conducting the Board exam twice a year requires a feasibility and logistics check.
o Also, students might get under stress twice due to the board exam in the same year.
• Manpower shortage: Low availability of language teachers, and manpower shortage exists more in government and
aided schools.
• Limitation of Schools: Many schools might not be in a position to offer the entire range of disciplines in Grades 11
and 12.
Way forward
• Higher education revamping for syncing with the new framework enabling easier transformation from school.
• Stopping Discriminatory and Exclusion practices in Schools which hampers the student's ability to choose the subject
as per his/her choice.
• Improving student-teacher ratio: According to the Ministry of Education, in Primary Schools, the pupil-teacher ratio,
which was at 43 in 2010-11, has come down to 26.3 in 2020- 21.
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• Increase in Public investment: Total expenditure on education for the year 2020-21 is 4.64%. However, it is still below
the target of 6% of GDP under NEP 2020.

6.3. NATIONAL SOCIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMME (NSAP)

Why in the news?
The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) recently presented a report on the Performance Audit of NSAP from
2017-18 to 2020-21.
About the National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP)
• Type: Centrally Sponsored Scheme (Ministry of Rural Development).
• Constitutional Mandate: Article 41 directs the State to provide public assistance to certain categories of citizens.
• Objectives: Ensuring minimum national standard for social assistance in addition to other benefits by States.
• Beneficiaries identification: Socio-Economic Caste Census or SECC 2011 (BPL list until SECC was prepared).
o Covers beneficiaries in both rural as well as urban areas in all States and UTs.
• Umbrella scheme: The Scheme was launched in 1995 and includes five sub-schemes (3 related to pension and two
non-pension).
• Pension Assistance:
o Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme (IGNOAPS): BPL persons aged 60-79 years are entitled to a
monthly pension of Rs. 200 and Rs.500 thereafter (after the age of 80 years).
o Indira Gandhi National Widow Pension Scheme (IGNWPS): BPL widows aged 40-59 years are entitled to a
monthly pension of Rs. 200.
o Indira Gandhi National Disability Pension Scheme (IGNDPS): BPL persons aged 18-59 years with severe and
multiple disabilities are entitled to a monthly pension of Rs. 200.
• Non-pensions assistance:
o National Family Benefit Scheme (NFBS): BPL household is entitled to a one-time assistance amounting to Rs.
10,000 on the death of primary breadwinner aged between 18 and 64 years.
o Annapurna scheme: 10 kg of food grains per month are provided free of cost to those senior citizens who, though
eligible, have remained uncovered under IGNOAPS.
• Monitoring: Social Audit and annual verification by National Level Monitors (NLMs).
Key issues highlighted
• Implementation:
o Schemes, particularly NFBS, are being partially implemented in some of the States/UTs.
o Implementation in demand-driven mode (benefits were provided to only those who applied for it) even though
the scheme aims for universal coverage.
• Beneficiaries:
o Identification of beneficiaries is based on the BPL list even after the finalisation of SECC data.
o Lack of IEC activities resulted in delayed coverage/non-coverage of eligible beneficiaries.
o Ineffective checks at the ground level for weeding out ineligible beneficiaries.
• Disbursement of benefits
o Scheme is not fully DBT compliant, leading to over-payments, short-payments, etc.
• Financial mismanagement:
o Funds were lying idle or diverted for campaigning for other schemes.
o In many states, expenditures incurred on inadmissible items like payment of honoraria, wages, etc.
• Monitoring and evaluation
o Infrequent meetings of the National Social Assistance Advisory Committee (NSAAC).
o No State Level Monitoring Committee in 30 States/UTs.
o Absence of Social audit and Institutional grievance redressal mechanism as per NSAP Guidelines in most states.

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Key Recommendations
• Specific measures for cleaning/weeding out ineligible beneficiaries, stopping pensions after the death of
beneficiaries and verification/authentication of beneficiary data may be instituted.
• NSAP funds may be utilised for timely payment of pension and family benefits, avoiding idling, diversion and
inadmissible expenditure of NSAP funds.
• System-based checks may be instituted to avoid overpayment, short payment, multiple payments and delays in
payment of pensions.
• Pension may be paid on a monthly basis through a bank/post office account integrated with Aadhaar/biometric
authentication.
• Robust social audit and grievance redressal mechanisms may be established to ensure transparency and
accountability.

6.4. AYUSHMAN BHARAT - PRADHAN MANTRI JAN AROGYA YOJANA (AB-

PMJAY)
Why in the news?
Recently, the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) presented a report on Performance AB-PMJAY.
More on news
• The report was submitted to the President of India under Article 151 of the Constitution.
• The audit noted that the PMJAY Scheme positively impacts the economically weaker sections of society who need
healthcare facilities.
• However, it also highlighted that the implementation of the scheme needs improvement.

For more details of the scheme, refer to the Appendix at the end of the document.
Key issues highlighted in the report
• Inadequate registration: Only 73% (7.87 crore) of the targeted households of 10.74 crore were registered.
o The ministry has now increased the beneficiaries to 12 crore families.
• Irregularities in identification:
o Of the total registered beneficiaries, less than 30% (2.08 crore) were identified from the SECC-2011 database.
✓ SECC database does not account for economic development and employment opportunities since then.
o Also, there were errors in the beneficiary database, like invalid names and dates of birth, duplicate PMJAY IDs,
etc.
• Empanelled Health Care Providers (EHCPs):
o Many EHCPs did not meet the minimum criteria and quality of support system and infrastructure.
o Many beneficiaries were charged for their treatment.
• Financial irregularities:
o Many states did not maintain a separate escrow account for PMJAY.
o National Health Authority (NHA) and State Health Agencies (SHAs) did not fully comply with the direction of
tracking the expenditure flow through the Public Financial Management System (PFMS).

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 o Other issues include the release of grants by NHA before the implementation of the scheme or without ensuring
the release of upfront shares by the respective States.
• Claim management:
o Inadequate validation checks like admission before pre-authorisation, delay in payment, inadmissible payments
and payment without penalty to erring EHCPs, etc.
o More than half of the payment went to only six States (Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Rajasthan,
Karnataka, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu).
• Monitoring and Grievance Redressal:
o Many states did not adopt the Whistle Blower Policy to receive complaints relating to allegations of corruption,
fraud, etc.
o Absence of Anti-Fraud Cells, Claim Review Committees, etc. in several States/UT.
o Less than 10% of grievances were redressed within a turnaround time of 15 days.
Key Recommendation
• Registration:
o Devise appropriate mechanisms to ensure coverage of intended beneficiaries and to avoid delay in the
registration.
o Set up a designated IEC cell to maximise the reach of the scheme.
• Weed out ineligible beneficiaries:
o Put a suitable mechanism for the identification and validation of beneficiaries’ data to increase the accuracy and
reliability of the data.
• Hospital Empanelment and Management:
o Ensure mandatory physical verification for the empanelment of hospitals to prevent the empanelment of a de-
empanelled hospital.
o Invest in public hospitals and devise mechanisms to curb instances of out-of-pocket payments by the
beneficiaries.
• Financial Management:
o Ensure SHAs have designated escrow accounts for PMJAY to receive their upfront share without delay.
o Have a mechanism to map and identify PMJAY beneficiaries to avoid overlap of PMJAY and state-specific
schemes.
o Also, implement PFMS on priority to track the flow of expenditure.
• Claims Management:
o Timely payment of the claims after ensuring necessary scrutiny by SHA.
o Ensure the claim amount is utilised for improving the infrastructure, functioning of the hospital, quality of services,
etc.
• Monitoring and Grievance Redressal:
o Initiate Anti-fraud activities on an urgent basis and penalise defaulters in a timely manner.
o Ensure that District Implementing Units are formed in every District.
o Ensured effective redressal of grievances and implementation of corrective measures for improving the working
of the Scheme.

6.5. TRIBAL HEALTH

Why in the news?
Recently, the Standing Committee on Empowerment of Women submitted
a report in Lok Sabha titled “Health Facilities for Tribal Women”.
Key findings of the report
• Child marriage, early motherhood, low body mass index and high
incidence of anaemia cause “high mortality rates among tribal
women”.

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• Insufficient data on tribal healthcare and welfare, especially the data relating to tribal women and girls.
• Teenage pregnancy is highest among STs in all social groups.
• Tribal people, including tribal women, carry a triple burden of diseases that are communicable, Nutritional, and Non-
communicable diseases.
Tribals in India
• Article 342 defines scheduled tribes (ST) as the tribes or tribal communities or parts of or groups within tribal
communities which the President may specify by public notification.
• ST population in India: 8.6% (as per Census of India 2011).
o Lakshadweep (94.8%), followed by Mizoram (94.4%), has the highest percentage of ST population.
o In absolute numbers, Madhya Pradesh has the highest population of STs.
• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Tribal Affairs.

Challenges faced by the healthcare system for the tribal health

• Language and cultural barriers impede effective communication between healthcare providers and tribal patients,
leading to misunderstandings.
• Failing to acknowledge and integrate their indigenous healing methods has created distrust among tribal
populations to seek healthcare from modern facilities.
• Geographical remoteness: Tribal communities are often located in remote and inaccessible areas, such as
mountainous with inadequate transportation infrastructure.
• Inadequate availability of skilled healthcare leads to delayed diagnoses, inappropriate treatment, and limited access
to specialised medical care.
• Tribal healthcare is subsumed in rural healthcare under the assumption that tribal people have the same health
problems and similar needs.
Way forward
• Parliamentary panel suggested:
o Creation of a Separate database on all aspects of tribal healthcare: by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs for better
assessment of welfare measures.
o Better infrastructure, like building all-weather roads, etc., so that the tribal population, including pregnant
women, can access healthcare facilities in time.
o Organising special drives and educate women and their respective husbands about the proper use and benefits
of modern contraceptives.
• Separate plan for tribal population: Delineate the tribal and rural populations and promote behaviours and practices
that do not directly challenge the norms and customs.
• Integration of traditional medicine: The Ministry of Tribal Affairs should coordinate with the Ayush Ministry to
integrate traditional healers and promote modern medicine.
• Reforming governance structure for tribal health.
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 Initiatives under the National Health Mission for beneficiaries in tribal areas
The NHM envisages the achievement of universal access to equitable, affordable & quality healthcare services that are
accountable and responsive to people’s needs.
• Ayushman Bharat- Health and Wellness Centres (HWCs) established by transforming the Sub-Health Centres (SHCs) and
Primary Health Centres (PHCs), as part of the Ayushman Bharat.
• The population norms for setting up Health Facilities in vulnerable areas are relaxed.
• States/UTs have been given the flexibility to deploy Mobile Medical Units (MMUs) to provide a range of healthcare services
• To minimize the Out-of-Pocket Expenditure incurred on health services, National Free Drugs Service Initiative and the
National Free Diagnostic Service Initiative have been rolled out.
• All tribal majority districts whose composite health index is below the State average are identified as High Priority Districts
(HPDs) and receive more resources per capita.

6.6. DRUG ABUSE IN INDIA

Why in the news?
Parliament Standing Committee on Social Justice and Empowerment submitted the report on ‘Drug Abuse
among Young Persons - Problems and Solutions.’
About drug abuse in India
• Alcohol, cannabis, opium, and
heroin are the major drugs abused
in India.
• Around 37 crore persons consume
Alcohol (the most common) and
various psychotropic substances in
India.
• Around 13% of the people involved
in drug and substance abuse in
India are below 20 years old.
• Adolescence is a critical-risk period
for the initiation of substance use.
o Children affected by substance
abuse are considered as children
in need of care and protection
under the JJ Act 2015 or Juvenile
Justice (Care and Protection of
Children) Act 2015.
• Prevalence across states: Assam,
Mizoram, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat,
Haryana, Bihar, Delhi, Odisha, Punjab,
Rajasthan, Telangana, etc. are among the most affected states.
Steps taken in India to prevent drug abuse
• Signatory to UN conventions: Convention on Narcotic Drugs, 1961; Convention on Psychotropic Substances, 1971;
Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, 1988.
• Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985: Provides for identification, treatment, rehabilitation, social
re-integration of the addict among others and instituted Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB).
o NCB under the Ministry of Home Affairs control the supply, production and distribution of drugs.
• National Action Plan for Drug Demand Reduction (NAPDDR) for 2018-2025: Provides for a multi-pronged strategy involving
awareness generation programmes, Community outreach, etc.
• Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan (NMBA): Launched in 272 most vulnerable districts under which a massive community
outreach is being done.
• e-portal called ‘SIMS’ (Seizure Information Management System) for cases involving large seizures.
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Issues in Curbing Drug Abuse in India
• India is a hub for drug trafficking: This is
because India is sandwiched between the
Death Triangle and the Death Crescent, the
major opium production regions in the
world.
o Porous borders are also one of the
issues.
• Proximity to sea: 70% of the illegal drugs
smuggled into India are through sea routes
in the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal.
• Technology advancements: Drug trafficking
is happening through the dark net using
cryptocurrency.
• Criminalising drug abuse: It brings social stigma to drug addicts who in turn avoid seeking any kind of medical help.
• Treatment gap: Inadequate Health facilities to deal with the consequences of drug dependency.
• Other
o Inadequate penetration of District De-addiction Centers (DDAC) under NAPDRR.
o No study has been undertaken to assess the impact of drug abuse on society.
o Decreasing financial allocations on preventive education and awareness generation programmes.
o Delay in providing training of Master Trainers under Navchetna Programme (Life Skills and Drug Education for
School Children).
Way Forward
• Informed policy making: Periodic surveys on drug abuse situations by National Drug Dependence Treatment Centres
(NDDTC) establish an impact assessment mechanism for NAPDRR.
• Legal actions: A conducive legal and policy environment is needed to help control drug problems.
• Awareness programme: should include issues surrounding drug addiction in the education curriculum and rope in
local bodies, NGOs, etc.
• Minimising the stigma: Drug abuse should also be seen as a substance use disorder, a bio-psychosocial health
condition and not just moral failings.
• District action plans: Launch it in all districts in collaboration with security agencies, civil society and citizens to
counter drug trafficking.
• Fulfil treatment gap: Provide scientific evidence-based treatment for people with substance use disorders at an
adequate scale.
• Reducing drug trafficking: Use modern technology to detect and prevent drug trafficking, Regular meetings and
reviews of the Apex Committee of Narcotics Coordination Centre (under the Ministry of Home Affairs), etc.

6.7. WHO REPORT ON THE GLOBAL TOBACCO EPIDEMIC, 2023

Why in the news?
WHO has released its ninth report on the Global Tobacco Epidemic, which tracks the progress made by countries in
tobacco control since 2008.
Key Findings
• Population under MPOWER: 71% of the world population is now protected by at least one MPOWER measure.
• Electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS): 2 billion people are still unprotected by any regulatory restrictions on
ENDS.
• Tobacco deaths: Of the estimated 8.7 million tobacco-related deaths each year, 1.3 million are of non-smokers
exposed to second-hand smoke.

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• India related:
o India excels in putting warning labels on tobacco products and tobacco dependence treatments.
o Bengaluru is progressing significantly in tobacco control due to hundreds of enforcement drives, and the efforts
have led to a 27% reduction in smoking in public places.
About MPOWER
• WHO introduced the MPOWER measures to assist the country-level
implementation of effective interventions to reduce the demand for
tobacco, as contained in the WHO’s Framework Convention on Tobacco
Control (FCTC).
o FCTC is the first international treaty negotiated to control the tobacco.
o It is a legally binding treaty and the member countries recognize that
tobacco use is a major public health concern.
o India ratified the convention in 2004.

Tobacco in India
• It is a drought-tolerant, hardy and short-duration crop which can
be grown on soils where other crops cannot be cultivated
profitably.
• There are 10 distinct tobacco types grown in around 15 states,
which include cigarette (flue-cured Virginia (FCV), Burley,
Oriental) and non-cigarette types (Bidi, Chewing, Hookah, Natu,
Cheroot, Cigar and HDBRG).
• As per the Global Adult Tobacco Survey-2 (GATS-2) of 2016-17
o Tobacco usage in rural areas is higher than in urban areas
(19.9 Crore and 6.8 Crore respectively).
o The usage of smokeless tobacco is higher than that of smoking ones.
• Tobacco consumption leads to harmful consequences like infectious diseases, environmental impacts like deforestation due
to its cultivation, economic & social costs, etc.
Government initiatives to reduce tobacco usage
• Cigarette and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA) 2003:
o The act regulates the advertisement, promotion and sponsorship of tobacco products.
o It prohibits smoking in public places.
o Makes it mandatory to use pictorial health warnings on tobacco products, the size of the graphic depiction of
health warnings was increased to 85% of the box since April 2016.
o It also sets rules for the sale of tobacco products to minors.
• National Tobacco Control Programme: Initiated in 2007-08 to create awareness about the harmful effects of tobacco
consumption and to reduce its production and supply.
• National Health Policy 2017: It aims to reduce tobacco usage in the country to 30% by 2025.
• The Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes Act, 2019: It prohibits the Production, Manufacture, Import, Export,
Transport, Sale, Distribution, Storage and Advertisement of E-Cigarettes in the country.
o The report ranks the implementation of the e-cigarette ban an 8 out of 10 in healthcare facilities, 6 in schools,
and 5 in universities.
• Anti-Tobacco health warning in OTT platforms: The government has made it mandatory for the OTT platforms to
display a prominent static message at the bottom of the screen during the scenes containing tobacco usage.
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6.8. NEWS IN SHORTS
6.8.1. MEDICAL TERMINATION OF • Recommendation: Bringing community ownership
PREGNANCY (MTP) ACT and community/parent engagement to Schools may
bridge the existing trust deficit in school education.
• Supreme Court (SC) allows rape survivor to terminate • Government Initiatives for education: Samagra
pregnancy beyond 24 weeks. Shiksha, Mid-Day Meal, RTE Act, Kasturba Gandhi
• Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Balika Vidyalaya and PM POSHAN Scheme etc.
(Amendment Act), 2021, allows rape survivors to
terminate their pregnancies upto 24 weeks (refer
table).
○ Any abortion which is in contravention to MTP Act
is a punishable offense under Section 312 and 313
of Indian Penal Code (IPC).
• However, taking note that such a pregnancy is not
voluntary, SC allowed the survivor to terminate 27-
Week Pregnancy.
• Key highlights of MTP Act, 2021
Duration of Process of termination
Pregnancy
Up to 20 • Available to all women on the advice of
weeks one doctor
20-24 Weeks • Available only in two conditions (serious
ailment to the child or risk of life or
mental health to the women) on the
advice of two doctors.
• Available to rape survivors, victims of 6.8.3. RECOGNITION AND GRANT OF
incest and other vulnerable women like EQUIVALENCE TO QUALIFICATIONS
differently abled, minors, among others FROM FHEI
o All women irrespective of marital
status are covered. • UGC Releases Draft Regulations for recognition and
Beyond 24 • Available only on the grounds of fetal grant of equivalence to Qualifications from Foreign
weeks abnormalities based on the advice of a Educational Institutions (FHEIs), 2023
medical board. • As per UGC FHEI means a higher education institution
• All state/ UTs are mandated to that is established/incorporated or recognized in a
constitute a Medical Board consisting of
foreign country and offers academic/research
gynecologists, pediatrician, etc.
programs at the undergraduate and/or higher levels.
6.8.2. STATE OF EDUCATION IN RURAL • Key provisions of regulation
INDIA REPORT o Recognition: A degree from a FHEI will be
recognized and granted equivalence only if a
• Report prepared by Development Intelligence Unit student physically attends an institute recognized
(DIU), under the initiative of Transforming Rural India by the home country.
Foundation (TRIF) and Sambodhi Pvt. o Applicability: For schools under a foreign board or
• Key Highlights any degree from an offshore campus.
o Higher Education for Girls: 78% of parents in rural ✓ The regulation shall not apply to qualifications
India aspire to educate their girls to graduation and obtained through online and distance
beyond. education modes.
o School dropout: 35% of female children dropped o Entry-level requirements for admission to the
out of school during primary schooling, as against program must also be like that of a corresponding
25% of their male counterparts. program in India.
o Access to Smart Phones: Students belonging to o Equivalence: UGC will assume the responsibility of
Class 8th and above had more access to granting equivalence to foreign degrees.
smartphones (58.32%), compared to students of
Classes I–III (42.1%).
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• Initiative for FHEI in India
o Announced in Union Budget 2022-23, World Class
Foreign Universities, free from domestic
regulations, will be allowed in GIFT City to offer
various courses.
o National Education Policy (NEP), 2020 provides for
collaborations and setting up of foreign
universities’ campuses in India.
o UGC in 2023 released guidelines for setting up
foreign universities.

6.8.5. GLOBAL INITIATIVE ON DIGITAL

HEALTH (GIDH)
• Recently, the World Health Organization (WHO) and
the G20 India presidency announced a new Global
Initiative on Digital Health (GIDH)
• GIDH aims to
o ALIGN efforts to support the Global Strategy on
Digital Health 2020–2025
6.8.4. SUICIDE CASES AMONG STUDENTS ✓ Global Strategy on Digital Health 2020–2025
aims to improve health for everyone,
• Rajasthan Government to form a committee to everywhere by accelerating the development
provide suggestions to prevent suicide cases among
and adoption of appropriate digital health
students solutions to achieve the health-related SDGs.
• The directives came amidst the rising number of o SUPPORT quality-assured technical assistance to
suicides being committed by students preparing for develop and strengthen standards-based and
competitive exams in Kota district. interoperable systems aligned to global best
• Moreover, according to NCRB number of deaths by practices, norms and standards.
suicide by students have been steadily rising in the last o FACILITATE the deliberate use of quality-assured
five years and increased 4.5% (from 2020) to reach digital transformation tools that enable
over 13,000 in 2021. governments to manage their digital health
• Reasons for Students Suicide: transformation journey.
○ Academic pressure: Higher expectations by • GIDH will address challenges such as duplication of
parents and society may lead to Isolation. efforts and “products-focused” digital health
○ New way of life in hostels: Life away from home, transformation through a focus on four foundational
cultural shock, dietary adjustments, and imposter pillars
syndrome (doubting one’s ability).
○ Ragging: Over the last 5.5 years, at least 25
students committed suicide due to ragging (UGC
data).
○ Other issues: Like difficulties of adolescence
phase, mental health issues, Substance abuse,
etc.

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6.8.6. DIGITAL IN HEALTH – UNLOCKING • A digital-in-health mindset needs to be a routine aspect
VALUE FOR EVERYONE” REPORT of annual health system planning, budgeting, and
implementation.
• Recently, the World Bank released the “Digital in • Recommendations
Health – Unlocking Value for Everyone” report. o Prioritize digital health interventions to solve
• The report presents a new way of thinking about digital health challenges and reach the underserved.
health investments expanding the focus from o Connect global and regional collaboration; digital
digitization of health data to integrating digital and infrastructure and health information gaps;
health as one: Digital-in-health. leadership and partnership within and across
o This means, for example, infusing digital sectors, etc. to deliver better and seamless health
technologies in health financing, service delivery, services.
diagnostics, medical education, pandemic o Scale digital skills and literacy, public-private
preparedness, climate and health efforts, partnerships for funding, wider digital
nutrition, and ageing. transformation, financing to ensure equitable
• Digital in Health improve equity, efficiency, and access to health care for everyone.
effectiveness by reaching more people with new and
better services with less financial stress.

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6. SOCIAL ISSUES
6.1. UNIVERSAL HEALTH COVERAGE
Why in the news? Service Coverage Index (SCI)
Recently, the Tracking Universal Health Coverage: 2023 Global • SCI used to track SDG 3.8.1 (includes four indicator
categories
Monitoring report was jointly released by the World Health
o Reproductive, maternal and newborn and child
Organization and World Bank. health,
More in news o Infectious diseases,
o Non-communicable diseases and
• The report analyses progress towards Universal Health o Service capacity and access.
Coverage (UHC) using two Sustainable Development Goals • It is measured on a scale from 0 (worst) to 100 (best).
(SDGs) indicators i.e. • In 2021, India score decline to 63 from 64 in 2019.
o UHC Service Coverage Index (SCI) that covers essential
health services (SDG 3.8.1).
o Out-of-Pocket Health Expenditure (OOPE) measuring
catastrophic health spending (SDG 3.8.2).
• Key findings of the report
o The UHC service coverage index increased from 45 to 68
between 2000 and 2021.
o The world is off track to make significant progress towards
the UHC (SDG target 3.8) by 2030 as improvements to
health services coverage have stagnated since 2015.
o The proportion of the population not covered by essential
health services decreased by about 15% between 2000 and 2021, with minimal progress made after 2015.
✓ The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted essential services in 92% of countries at the height of the pandemic in
2021. In 2022, 84% of countries still reported disruptions.
o The proportion of the population that faced
catastrophic levels of OOP health spending
has increased.
o Financial hardship is more prevalent among
poorer households mostly due to higher rates
of impoverishing health spending rather than
catastrophic health spending.
Universal Health Coverage and its importance
• UHC means that all people have access to a full
range of quality health services without financial
hardship.
o It covers the full continuum of essential
health services, from health promotion to prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and palliative care.
• Importance of Universal Health Coverage
o Maximize human capital by making investments in health, which is crucial for both educational attainment in
children and workforce productivity in adults, which promotes economic growth.
o Well-functioning health system with equitably distributed healthcare infrastructure increases the demand for
skilled jobs.
o Helps in achieving Sustainable Development Goal 3 (Good Health and Well-being).
o Helps to reduce social barriers to care and, the distribution of health resources between different population
groups and empowers patients in decision-making.

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Challenges in achieving Universal Health Coverage Initiatives taken to achieve Universal Health Coverage
• Low Health care spending: As per, the Economic Survey • Ayushman Bharat Yojana: It aims to undertake
2022-23, central and state governments' budgeted interventions to holistically address health at primary,
secondary and tertiary level.
expenditure on healthcare increased marginally from
• Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission: It will improve
1.6% in FY21 to 2.1 % of GDP in FY23 and is among the
equitable access to quality healthcare by encouraging
lowest in the world. use of technologies such as telemedicine and enabling
• Lack of financial protection: As per NITI Aayog, at least national portability of health services.
30% of the population is devoid of any financial • National Health Policy 2017: It aims at achieving
protection for health due to existing gaps in coverage universal health coverage and delivering quality health
and overlap between schemes. care services to all at affordable cost.
• High out-of-pocket expenditure (OOPE): India’s OOPE as • Intensified Mission Indra Dhanush: It focusses on
a per cent of current health spending is 47.1% in 2019-20, reaching zero-dose children aged between 0 and 5
significantly above the global average of 18%. years and pregnant women who might have missed any
vaccine doses in the national immunisation schedule.
• Inequitable Access: Rural communities in India suffer
from significant access to healthcare such as a lack of
qualified medical professionals, physical limitations like distance, lack of established healthcare infrastructure and
inability to pay for necessary medical treatment.
o As per the Lancet publication (2023), the provision of core health services lacks uniformity across state-run
district hospitals. Only 16 per cent of the district hospitals in Tamil Nadu offered all key services. In states like
Assam, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Mizoram and UP, it was found to be just 1 per cent.
• Lack of medical manpower: India faces a shortage of healthcare professionals, including doctors, nurses, and
paramedical staff, which impacts the delivery of healthcare services.
Way forward
• Recommendations from report
o Adopting a primary healthcare approach can improve health systems and accelerate progress toward UHC.
o Expansion of essential services, especially for Non-Communicable Diseases.
o Removing financial barriers e.g., issues of indirect costs and co-payments in health care.
o Strong commitments to International Health Regulations in acute public health risk.
• Increase public spending: Government spending should be increased to around 5.2% i.e., the average health spending
of the Lower- and Middle-Income Countries (LMIC).
• Address Structural Issues: Structural weaknesses within the healthcare delivery system i.e., lack of medical supplies
and healthcare workers; irrational treatments etc. can be addressed by engaging the private sector, and civil society
and expanding medical seats etc.
• Centre-State Coordination: Central government should adopt a collaborative mechanism allowing for flexible policy-
making, and differential financing from the Centre to the state.
o This will also allow states to better meet the diverse requirements and develop health plans that are consistent
with the needs and requirements of populations.

6.1.1. AYUSHMAN BHARAT DIGITAL MISSION

Why in the news?
Recently, National Health Authority (NHA) organized ‘Arogya Manthan’ 2023 to celebrate five years of Ayushman Bharat
Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) and two years of the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM).
*To read more about AB PM-JAY, kindly refer to Article 6.4. Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana
(ABPMJAY) of August 2023 Monthly Current Affairs Magazine.
More on the news
• At the event, States and Union Territories that excelled in various categories were awarded-
o Highest Ayushman Card Creation: Assam, Nagaland, and Jammu & Kashmir
o Highest Percentage of Utilization in Public Hospitals: Karnataka and Tripura
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 o Top State in Generation of ABHA Scan and Share Tokens: Uttar Pradesh
o Top State in Linking Health Records with ABHA: Andhra Pradesh
About ABDM
• Aim: To develop the backbone necessary
to support the integrated digital health
infrastructure of the country.
• Implementing Agency: NHA under the
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
• The digital infrastructure under the
scheme is being developed by adopting
India Enterprise Architecture
Framework (IndEA) released by the
Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.
o IndEA is holistic a framework for streamlining, standardizing, and optimizing the e-Governance efforts across
the country for interoperability and integration.
Components of the mission
Ayushman Bharat • A randomly generated 14-digit number generated through self-registration.
Health Account • Purpose: Identifying individuals, authenticating them, and threading their health records (only with
(ABHA) Number the informed consent of the patient) across multiple systems and stakeholders.
ABHA app • A Personal Health Records {PHR) application available on Android and iOS platforms.
• Allows the self-uploading/scanning of existing physical health records such as diagnostic reports,
prescriptions, etc.
Health Facility • A comprehensive repository of all the health facilities of the country across different systems of
Registry medicine.
• Includes both public and private health facilities including hospitals, clinics, diagnostic laboratories
and imaging centers, pharmacies, etc.
Healthcare • A comprehensive repository of all healthcare professionals involved in the delivery of healthcare
Professionals Registry services across both modern and traditional systems of medicine.
Significance of the mission
• For patients: It will empower individuals with accurate
information to enable informed decision-making and increase
the accountability of healthcare providers.
o It will also ensure transparency in the pricing of services and
provide the option to access health services remotely
through teleconsultation and e-pharmacy.
• For healthcare professionals: They will have better access to
patient's medical history for prescribing more appropriate and
effective health interventions.
• Insurance Claim: It will help digitize the claims process and
enable faster reimbursement.
• For policymakers: Better quality of macro and micro-level data
will enable advanced analytics, better preventive
healthcare, and strengthen implementation and monitoring of health programmes and policies.
• For researchers: They will be able to study and evaluate the effectiveness of various programs and interventions.
Challenges in the implementation of ABDM
• Digital divide and illiteracy make it difficult for certain sections of the population to adopt ABDM.
• High cost of digitization of medical data.
• Poor interoperability between states, with data migration and inter-state transfer facing multiple errors and
shortcomings.
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• Capacity building and digital skilling of medical professionals needed to prepare them to use digital tools.
• Concerns about personal data security and privacy: For instance, the recent ransomware attack on the All-India
Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi has brought questions of safety and privacy.
• Limited awareness among citizens about the app and its use.
• Health is a state subject: There are state schemes and initiatives that have the same vision and mission as ABDM
leading to a multiplicity of efforts. For instance, the eHealth initiative by Kerala.
Way forward
• Protecting details of patients through methods like anonymization and ensuring that the health records of the
patients remain entirely confidential and secure.
• Encourage Research and Development in digital health technologies, especially in areas such as artificial intelligence,
machine learning, and predictive analytics.
• Streamlining processes and standardizing medical data to ensure the smooth transfer of data between states.
• Increase Public Awareness to ensure that citizens understand how to access and utilize the digital healthcare services
available.
• Introducing the concepts of ABDM and digital health in the curriculum for medical professionals.
• Incentivizing private providers to participate in the process of digitization of medical health records. E.g., the Digital
Health Incentive scheme aims to incentivize stakeholders such as hospitals, labs etc. to adopt a digital health
ecosystem.

6.2. NEWS IN SHORTS

6.2.1. THE GENDER SNAPSHOT 2023 o SDG 13 (Climate Action): 158 million women
and girls globally may be pushed into poverty as
• “Progress on the Sustainable Development Goals a direct result of climate change.
(SDGs): The gender snapshot 2023” report released
by UN Women and UN Department of Economic
and Social Affairs (DESA).
• Key findings
o SDG 1 (No Poverty): Over 340 million women
and girls will still live in extreme poverty by 2030.
✓ Progress will need to be 26times faster to
reach SDG 1 by 2030.
o SDG 2 (Zero Hunger): Close to 1 in 4 women and
girls will experience moderate or severe food 6.2.2. WOMEN’S BASIC INCOME
insecurity by 2030.
✓ Addressing gender gaps in agrifood systems • Tamil Nadu launched the Kalaignar Magalir Urimai
can reduce food insecurity and boost global Thogai (Women’s Basic Income) scheme.
GDP by nearly $1 trillion. • This scheme will provide a monthly stipend of Rs
o SDG 4 (Quality Education): Only 60% of girls 1,000 for eligible women.
have completed schooling at upper secondary o Women who hold less than specified land and
level compared to 57% of boys. annual family income aged above 21 years old
o SDG 5 (Gender Equality): Next generation of are eligible.
women will spend an average of 2.3 more hours o Other states like Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh,
per day on unpaid care and domestic work than and Punjab have similar schemes for women.
men. • As per Economic Survey 2016-17, a Universal Basic
o SDG 10 (Reduced inequalities): Women are Income (UBI) for women has large multiplier effects
twice as likely as men to report instances of on the household.
discrimination based on sex and almost twice as o UBI has three components: universality,
likely as men to experience discrimination on unconditionality, and agency (by providing
basis of marital status. support in the form of cash transfers to respect,
not dictate, recipients’ choices).
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 Argument in favor of UBI Argument against UBI

• Treats beneficiaries as • Might make people

agents and entrusts lazy and opt out of
citizens with the the labor market.
responsibility of using • Gender disparity as
welfare spending. men are likely to
• As all individuals are exercise control over
targeted, the exclusion spending of the UBI.
error (poor being left out) • A cash transfer’s
is zero. purchasing power
• Provides a safety net may severely be
against health, income, curtailed by market
and other shocks. fluctuations
• Encourage greater usage of • Huge burden on the
bank accounts, leading to government budget
improvement in financial
inclusion.

6.2.3. MALAVIYA MISSION - TEACHERS

TRAINING PROGRAMME (MM-TTP) 6.2.5. DEEMED TO BE UNIVERSITY
• University Grants Commission’s MM-TTP was STATUS
launched. • NCERT has been granted the status of deemed to be
• About MM-TTP university. Deemed university status will now allow
o It is proposed by restructuring of existing NCERT to
schemes of capacity building of teachers under o offer its own graduate, post-graduate and
Department of Higher Education. doctoral degrees and
o It envisages capacity-building training for the o have autonomy in terms of introduction of
faculty and staff across higher educational programmes, course structure, conducting
institutions (HEIs), in the light of National examinations and management, among others.
Education Policy (NEP) 2020 within two years • An institution of higher education, other than a
through multiple training centres. university, doing the work of high standard in a
o Human Resource Development Centres specific area, can be declared as an institution
(HRDCs) will also be renamed as Madan Mohan deemed to be university.
Malaviya Teachers’ Training Centre. • Declared by Central Government under section 3 of
6.2.4. DIGITAL INFRASTRUCTURE FOR University Grants Commission (UGC) Act, 1956.
KNOWLEDGE SHARING (DIKSHA) 6.2.6. NMC GETS WFME RECOGNITION
PLATFORM FOR 10 YEARS
• National eGovernance Division (NeGD) under MeitY • National Medical Commission (NMC) is India's
is set to integrate Personalised Adaptive Learning regulatory body overseeing medical education and
(PAL) into its existing DIKSHA platform. practice.
o PAL is a software-based approach that allows o It is a statutory body, constituted by NMC Act,
each student to have an individualized learning 2019.
experience. • World Federation for Medical Education (WFME)
• DIKSHA is an initiative of National Council for grants recognition Status to individual accrediting
Education Research and Training (NCERT), Ministry agencies that meet WFME recognition criteria.
of Education. • Benefits
o It will enable Indian medical graduates to
pursue postgraduate training in other countries

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 that require WFME recognition, e.g., the United 6.2.7. AYUSHMAN BHAV CAMPAIGN
States, Canada, etc.
o All the 706 existing medical colleges in India will • It is a collaborative effort spearheaded by Gram
become WFME accredited. Panchayats to extend comprehensive healthcare
o New medical colleges that will be set up in the coverage to every village and town.
next 10 years will automatically get accredited. • It has 3 components:
o It will enhance the quality and standards of o Ayushman Apke Dwar 3.0: to provide Ayushman
medical education in India. cards to remaining eligible beneficiaries enrolled
o Aligning medical education with global best under the PM-JAY scheme.
practices and benchmarks. o Ayushman Melas: To facilitate the creation of
o Make India an attractive destination for Health IDs and issuance of Ayushman Bharat
international students. Cards.
o Ayushman Sabhas: To raise awareness about
vital health schemes and disease conditions.

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6. SOCIAL ISSUES
6.1. SUPREME COURT JUDGMENT ON LGBTQIA+ RIGHTS
Why in the News?
Recently, a 5-judge constitution bench of the Supreme Court
(SC) in Supriyo @ Supriya Chakraborty vs Union of India
case unanimously refused to accord legal recognition to
marriages between persons of the same sex.
More on News
• Several petitions challenged the provisions of the
Special Marriage Act 1954, Hindu Marriage Act (HMA)
1955, and the Foreign Marriage Act 1969 to the extent
these legislations do not recognise non-heterosexual
marriages.
• On the issue of marriage, the court, exercising judicial
restraint, expressly left it for the legislature and executive to decide, citing them being matters of policy.
o While all five judges acknowledged the need to eliminate discrimination against same-sex couples, they did not
unanimously agree on granting queer couples the designation of a legally recognized "civil union."
o A majority of three judges asserted that any legal acknowledgement of such a union should only occur through
enacted legislation.
LGBTQIA+ rights: Petitioner’s arguments and court verdict
Issues Petition Court Verdict Dissenting opinion
The right of • There exists a fundamental • Unanimously held that
transgender right to marry a person of there was no fundamental,
persons to one’s own choice under the unequivocal right to marry
marry Constitution, and the court in India.
must address the denial of • Transgender persons have a
that right. right to marry under the
• If the court recognised this current framework.
as a fundamental right, then
it would cast an obligation
on the state to protect this
right.
Right to enter a • Recognition of a civil union • Court cannot prescribe a • Sought recognition of civil unions to
Civil Union for for queer couples. choice of civil unions to ensure that queer couples could get
queer couple queer couples. material benefits flowing from a
• Government is not marriage.
obligated to recognize the • Right to form intimate associations
bouquet of rights flowing falls within the ambit of Article 19.
from such a Union. • Right enter a union cannot be
restricted on the basis of sexual
orientation.
Interpretation • Replacement of gender- • The Court declined to • SMA violated the equality
of Special specific terms such as invalidate or interpret the provisions of the Constitution.
Marriage Act "husband" and "wife" with SMA in a gender-neutral o Also, hold that the SMA
(SMA) the more inclusive terms manner, stating that such was not unconstitutional
"party" or "spouse." actions would encroach for violating Articles 14 and
• SMA violates Articles 14, upon the legislative domain 15 as the sole intention of
15, 19, 21 and 25 by not and could have a the SMA was to enable
marriage, as it was
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 allowing marriage between "cascading" effect on other understood at the time the
same sex. laws. 1954 Act was passed (i.e.,
for heterosexual couples),
of persons of different
faiths.
Adoption rights • Guidelines of the Central • Upheld the restriction • The regulation was discriminating
for non- Adoption Resource imposed by the CARA on against the queer community and
heterosexual Authority (CARA), which queer couples from hence was violating Article 15 of the
couples does not allow unmarried adopting. Constitution.
couples to jointly adopt • Observe that striking down • Exclude the word “marital” so that
children, is discriminatory the rules may have it includes both married and
against queer couples who deleterious, “disastrous” unmarried couples as well as queer
cannot legally marry. and “anomalous outcome” couples so that they too can jointly
that “only the legislature adopt a child.
and executive could
remedy.
Other key Highlights of the Judgment
• Courts limit the question to secular laws: During
the hearings, the bench expressed that it would
confine the issue only to the Special Marriage Act
and would not touch personal laws.
o If the court were to interpret HMA to include
LGBTQIA+ marriages, the SC would also have
to consider the bundle of rights dealing with
adoption, guardianship and inheritance
available to heterosexual couples.
• Judicial restraint: Judgement signifies judicial
restraint on the part of the Supreme Court
wherein it refrained from taking on the role of the
legislature to develop, guarantee, and enforce
fundamental rights.
o Enactment of law pertaining to marriage
comes under the purview of the Legislature in
terms of Articles 245 and 246 and Entry 5 of the
LGBTQIA+ rights across the world
concurrent list.
• Currently, there are more than 130 countries
• Dissenting opinion and observations: Several observations in that have decriminalized homosexuality.
the judgment may pave way for the future deliberations and • The Netherlands was the first country to legalise
discussions on the rights LGBTQIA+ community. For example, same-sex marriages in 2001.
‘Queerness or homosexuality is not an urban, elite • Since then, more than 30 countries around the
conception or expression’. world have legalized the same-sex marriages.
• Prevention of violence and discrimination against queer
persons: The Supreme Court has issued directives to the government and police to prevent discrimination against the
queer community.
o The directives include non-discrimination, public awareness, the helpline for the queer community, safe houses,
and protection of intersex children.
o Specific directions to the police include no harassment, freedom of choice, protection of freedom, protection
against violence, and preliminary enquiry.
Conclusion
Though the judgement came as a setback for LGBTQIA+ rights, particularly in the context of marriage and adoption, the
assurance by the Union Government to constitute a committee under the chairmanship of the Cabinet Secretary gives a
ray of hope in the struggle for equality.
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6.2. CASTE CENSUS
Why in the News?
The state government of Bihar recently released a report on the caste survey conducted in the state, after a resolution
passed by the state legislature for the same.
Caste system in India
More on News • Caste is an institution uniquely associated with the Indian sub-continent.
• Caste is by definition a closed social system whose membership is
• The State government of Bihar said that acquired by virtue of birth.
the exercise was not a full-scale census, o Many of the scriptural rules of caste are designed to prevent the
but a “social survey” focused on caste mixing of castes – rules ranging from marriage, food sharing and
demographics. social interaction to occupation.
• After the release of caste survey data by • Although it is an institution characteristic of Hindu society, caste has
the Bihar government, several other spread to the major non-Hindu communities of the Indian subcontinent.
states including Rajasthan, Odisha, o This is especially true of Muslims, Christians, and Sikhs.
Maharashtra, Karnataka, etc., are
planning or conducting caste surveys. Census in India
• Census is a Union subject (entry 69 of the union list
History of Caste census in India under Schedule VII) under Article 246 of the
• Caste-wise enumeration of the population was introduced constitution.
under the British colonial administration in 1881 and • The Census Act, 1948 provides a plan for
continued till the 1931 census. conducting population census along with the duties
and responsibilities of census officers.
• In 1941, the caste-based data was collected but not
• Registrar General and Census Commissioner of
published. India, under the Ministry of Home Affairs, is
• After independence, however, the Government of India entrusted with the responsibility to conduct
abandoned full caste enumeration on the apprehension that decadal census.
it may strengthen caste divisions and perpetuate the caste • Later, this office was also entrusted with the task of
system. implementation of the Birth and Death
o Every census in independent India has published data on Registration Act, 1969.
Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs), but
not other castes.
• In 2011, Socio-Economic and Caste Census (SECC) was conducted
through a comprehensive programme involving
o The Ministry of Rural Development, the Ministry of Housing and
Urban Poverty Alleviation, the Office of the Registrar General and
Census Commissioner, India, and State Governments/UT
Administrations.
o In 2016, the SECC data, excluding caste data, was finalized and
published.
o In 2021, the Central Government, in an affidavit submitted to the Supreme Court, stated that the caste/tribe data
derived from the SECC 2011 is deemed "defective" and "not suitable for use."
Arguments for caste census Arguments against caste census
• Constitutional mandate: Article 340 mandates the • Constitutional provisions: Constitutions speak
appointment of a commission to investigate the conditions of backward classes and not backward castes.
of socially and educationally backward classes and make o The word caste is used in the constitution
recommendations as to the steps that should be taken by only in relation to ‘scheduled castes.
governments. • Difficulties in data enumeration: Given
• Social justice and reforms in reservation policy: It will aid thousands of castes and sub-castes in India,
the government in determining the inclusion of new castes collecting caste data and making sense of the
into existing categories or the graduation of advanced castes same is difficult.
(creamy layer) out of these categories.

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 o Census caste data may also enable a more equitable o Further, mobilization and counter-
distribution of reservation benefits by making it possible mobilization by various groups seeking
to devise a ‘quota-within-quota’ (sub-categorization) gains will inevitably influence the
system. enumeration process and result in bogus
• Policymaking: Caste census data will help in the formulation or biased data.
of more informed and evidence-based policymaking to cater o Difficulties due to empirical complications
to the needs and demands of the underprivileged and of inter-caste marriages, hypergamy,
downtrodden. migration, etc., which over time have
• Promoting diversity and inclusivity: It can be used to produced multiple caste affiliations.
monitor the representation of different castes in elected • Potential for Political Misuse: There are
bodies, civil services, and other institutions, thereby concerns that caste data could be exploited for
promoting diversity and inclusivity. political purposes, including vote bank politics
• Judicial requirement: In the Indra Sawhney case, the and identity-based mobilization.
Supreme Court held that the States must conclude the • Rise in demand for reservations: Critics say a
“backwardness” of a particular class of people only after caste-based census may give rise to the
proper assessment and objective evaluation. demand for more reservations in jobs and
o The SC also held that such a conclusion must be subject educational institutions from various
to periodic review by a permanent body of experts. communities.
• Annihilation of caste: Many experts observe that to abolish • Risk of Resentment: Focusing on caste-based
caste, it is essential to first abolish caste-derived privileges, statistics could lead to resentment among
and to do that, the state must first map castes and their different groups. It may exacerbate inter-caste
socio-economic status privileges/deprivations. tensions and hinder efforts toward building a
more inclusive and harmonious society.
Way Forward
• Create political consensus: Decisions on such issues of broad socio-political concern should be taken through broad
political consensus.
• Inclusive Consultations: Involve a wide range of stakeholders, including community leaders, activists, and experts, in
the planning and execution of the caste census.
o Social scientists and research institutions can be involved in the process of enumeration of caste data to ensure
that the process remains unbiased.
• Identify caste and subcaste: A preliminary socio-anthropological study can be done at the State and district levels to
establish all sects and sub-castes present in the population.
• Use of technology: Emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Big Data Analytics, etc., can be used to
analyze and assess caste-based data and derive meaningful conclusions.
• Periodic Review and Updating: Recognize that social structures evolve over time, and caste identities may change.
Design the census with the flexibility to adapt to these changes and plan for periodic reviews to update the data and
ensure its relevance.

6.3. YOUTH-LED DEVELOPMENT

Why in the News?
Mera Yuva Bharat (MY Bharat) platform has been launched for youth on National Unity Day.
About MY Bharat
• MY Bharat is an autonomous body that is being set up by the Government of India to provide an over-arching
institutional mechanism powered by technology for youth development and youth-led development.
o It is an initiative of the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports to empower Indian youth through social mobility,
educational equity, and practical skills.
• The platform connects youth with programs and learning opportunities in Businesses, Government Departments
and Non-Profit Organisations.
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• MY Bharat will benefit the youth in the age group of 15-29 years, in line with the definition of ‘Youth’ in the National
Youth Policy.
o In the case of programme components specifically meant for adolescents, the beneficiaries will be in the age
group of 10-19 years.

Why does India need to focus on youth?

• To reap demographic dividend: India is one of the youngest countries in the world with an average age of 29 years.
o About 65 % of the population is below 35 years of age, while 50 per cent of the population is below 25 years of
age.
• Economic advantage: When properly educated and skilled, youth can help in expanding economy.
o India has the third-largest startup ecosystem in the world. They are emerging as the major source of
employment creation.
• Political engagement: Encouraging qualities like citizenship and dedication to community service among all youth
segments is essential for the nation's political and social development.
• Addressing social challenges: Many social challenges, such as gender inequality, access to quality education, and
healthcare, can be effectively addressed by focusing on the youth.
• To protect the environment: Youth can play a major role in the protection and preservation of nature, including
natural resources.
o Indian Youth is passionately adopting the ‘Lifestyle for the Environment (LiFE) Movement’ and promoting its
underlying principle to move forward with Sustainable development.
• Global competitiveness: In an increasingly interconnected world, countries with a skilled and youthful workforce are
better positioned to compete effectively on the global stage. India's youth can significantly contribute to the nation's
global standing.
Challenges Faced by Youth of India
• Poor Education System: Include poor quality of education (less emphasis on vocational education), lack of access to
higher education, and high dropout rates.
• High Unemployment: The unemployment rate among educated youth is quite high, which is significantly higher than
that in most developed and developing countries.
o In 2022, the estimated youth unemployment rate in India was 23.22 per cent (ILO).
• Exploitative Workplace: Includes paid low wages, working long hours, harassment (especially women), and having no
social security or legal protection.
• Social Issue: Includes substance abuse, violence, crime, radicalization, communalism, and gender discrimination.
o These problems affect their moral values, civic sense, social responsibility, and national integration.
• Psychological Issues: Low confidence and self-belief throw them into the phase of depression when they are not able
to achieve their dream.

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 o They even go to the extent of suicide. E.g. recent cases in the education hub of Kota.
• Cultural and Social Expectations: Traditional cultural norms and societal expectations can sometimes restrict the
choices and aspirations of young people, particularly in terms of education, career, and marriage.
• Social media addiction in youth: It is marked by excessive use, impacting mental health, relationships, and
productivity.

Way Forward
• Political Empowerment: Training youth organizations and civil society organizations to lobby and advocate on youth
issues.
o Involving youth in policy-making and decision-making processes to address their unique needs and concerns.
• Bridge skill gap: Importance must be given to vocational skills, internships, and embedded apprenticeship degree
programmes, to ensure that students receive hands-on learning experiences in real-life scenarios.
o Promoting Soft Skills such as creativity, decision-making, strategic thinking, interpersonal skills, leadership skills,
cognitive intelligence and time management.
• Health and education spending: Evidence suggests that better health facilitates improved economic productivity.
• Promoting Access and Participation: Special initiatives and drives are needed for marginalised communities and
certain regions such as rural areas, North-east India etc.

6.4. AGEING POPULATION

Why in news?
United Nations Population Fund India (UNFPA) has released India Ageing Report 2023.
More on news
• The India Ageing Report 2023 represents a thorough review of the living conditions and welfare of older individuals
in India.
• The report was prepared in collaboration with the International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS).
Key Highlights of the report
• Sharp growth in the elderly population is observed from 2010 onwards along with a decline in the age group of below
15 years, indicating rapidity of ageing in India.
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• Significant interstate variation in absolute levels and growth of the elderly population.
o Compared to southern and western India, central and northeastern regions have the younger group of states.
Challenges of Ageing Population
• Social Issues:
o Feminization (Women
living longer than men) of
Ageing: Poverty is
inherently gendered in old
age when older women are
more likely to be widowed,
living alone, with no
income and with fewer
assets of their own, and
fully dependent on family
for support.
o Ruralization of Ageing:
According to the Census of
India 2011, about 71 % of
older persons live in rural
areas. These are more
vulnerable to income
insecurity, lack of access to
adequate and quality
healthcare and isolation in
comparison to urban
counterparts.
o Ageing of the aged: During 2000–
2022, the total population of the
country grew by 34 %, while the
population of 60+ years grew by
103 %.
o Other: Isolation and loneliness
will increase due to the trend of nuclear families, lack of
availability of a social security system, gender-based
discrimination against women etc.
• Economic Burden: The productivity of the nation will fall
along with labour force shortages, public dissaving, and old-
age income insecurity.
• Healthcare and Long-Term Care: The elderly often require
more extensive healthcare services and long-term care,
which can strain the healthcare system.
• Psychological Issues: The Longitudinal Ageing Study in India
(LASI) survey finds that the Incidence of depression was seen
to be rising with increasing age and was higher among
elderly women than men.
Ways to Transform Ageing Population into Opportunity
• Promoting Elderly SHGs (ESHGs): ESHGs should also be linked with the Livelihood Mission, making them more
productive and self-reliant.
• Regulating old age homes: They should be brought under government monitoring, and a regulatory body can be set
up for the same.
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 o Also, ensuring ageing in situ (at home) should be a priority rather than an old age home.
• Promoting Silver Economy: It includes all those economic activities, products and services designed to meet the needs
of people over 50.
• Leveraging Digital Ecosystem: Promoting digital literacy among old population will enhance their productivity and it
will promote their integration into the economy.
• Awareness Derives: Senior citizens lacked awareness about the various schemes and programmes meant for them.
o As per the LASI report only 12% of the elderly are aware of the Maintenance & Welfare Act.
• Other
o Promote Corporate Sector Involvement in Elder Care
o Expand services for the elderly, including home healthcare, Creche-like facilities or equipped day-care centres,
and assisted living facilities.
o Develop age-friendly infrastructure.
Initiative Taken
Global
• Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing (MIPAA), 2002
• Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 3: ensuring healthy lives and well-being at all ages)
• United Nations Decade of Healthy Ageing: 2020–2030
India
• Constitutional: Article 41 mandates the well-being of senior citizens.
• Legislative and policies
o Maintenance and Welfare of Senior Citizens Act, 2007.
o National Policy on Older Persons (NPOP), 1999
o Senior Citizens’ Welfare Fund (SCWF), 2016
• Social Security and Welfare Schemes:
o Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme (IGNOAPS) (2007): It is one of the five sub-schemes of the National Social
Assistance Programme (NSAP).
o Pradhan Mantri Vaya Vandana Yojana (2017): Provide’s social security during old age.
o Atal Vayo Abhyuday Yojana’ (AVYAY) (2021): AVYAY is an umbrella scheme has following schemes under it, namely:
✓ Scheme of Integrated Programme for Senior Citizens
✓ State Action Plan for Senior Citizens
✓ Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana (RVY)
✓ Livelihood and Skilling Initiatives for Senior Citizens
✓ Promoting silver economy
• Concession and Rebates: It includes Yatri Mitra services by Railways, etc.

6.5. NOBEL PEACE PRIZE 2023: WOMEN RIGHTS

Why in the News?
Recently, Iranian human rights activist Narges Mohammadi was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize (2023).
More on News
• Narges Mohammadi is a scientist, journalist and human rights campaigner who persistently fights against the
oppression of women in Iran and the promotion of human rights and freedom for all.
• The selection reflects the Nobel Committee’s growing recognition of women who lead political and social opposition
movements worldwide.

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Global Women's Rights Movement About Nobel Peace Prize
• Different countries have variety in women’s rights activism • The Nobel Peace Prize is one of the five original
Nobel Prizes established by the will of Alfred Nobel.
depending upon their histories, nature of States, economic
• It was to be awarded to the person "who shall have
models, cultural formations, and political forms.
done the most or the best work for fraternity
• UN Women and feminist scholars and activists broadly between nations, for the abolition or reduction of
divide the global movement for women’s rights into 4 standing armies and for the holding and promotion
generations/ waves. of peace congresses".
• First wave: The first wave emerged in the late 19th and o It has been awarded both to individuals and
early 20th centuries, primarily in Western countries. Its organizations.
focus was on legal issues, particularly women's suffrage • The first Nobel Prizes were awarded in 1901.
(the right to vote).
o Additionally, they called for equal rights within the family, equal pay, and access to higher education.
• Second wave: It began 1970s and 1980s and was part of a wider youth movement that grew out of the expansion of
higher education.
o They were inspired by the Civil Rights movement in the United States, the opposition to Apartheid and the
Vietnam War.
o Activists during the initial stages of the second wave were both radical and critical.
o A fundamental shared principle among various feminist currents was the advocacy for autonomy, emphasizing
women's entitlement to define their own agendas, even while engaging within political organizations and
parties.
o Activities of this wave include supporting fair wage and reproductive rights campaigns, creating women-only
journals and publishing houses, etc.
• Third wave: It roughly spans around the 1980s and 1990s
and coincided with the gradual entry of feminists and
feminist ideas into mainstream politics.
o Three significant elements of this wave include:
✓ Importance of policy-related activism;
✓ Strengthening of feminist movements and rights
advocacy in the Global South;
✓ Consolidation of women’s studies as a discipline.
o United Nations’ four world conferences on women –
Mexico (1975), Copenhagen (1980), Nairobi (1985) and
Beijing (1995) - were an important stimulus for policy
work and for global feminist interaction.
o It also saw the creation of the Beijing Platform for Action
(PFA), a policy action framework inspired by the
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of
Discrimination against Women (CEDAW).
• Fourth wave: The emergence of the internet led to a new brand of social media-fueled women’s rights movement.
o These feminists embraced various social justice issues including racial equity, immigration reform, reproductive
rights, environment, and LGBTQIA+ rights.
o 3 prominent cases of this wave include:
✓ Brazil: Feminists involved in efforts to protect rights previously gained.
✓ India: Campaigns around gender-based violence.
✓ Malawi: Work of LGBTQIA+ activists to secure justice and recognition.
Conclusion
Feminism constitutes a facet of contentious politics, representing a global social movement that exhibits sustained vitality.
While priorities and interpretations may vary, there are notable commonalities in the demands articulated by feminists
across countries, regions, and decades. This underscores the enduring nature of gender inequality and the gradual pace
of advancement in meeting the persistent demands of the feminist agenda.
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 Evolution of Women’s Movement in India
The roots of the women's movement in India can be traced back to the late 19th century and has transformed over time involving
multiple stakeholders including state and civil society.
Phases of women’s movement
• First phase: Its foundations were laid by the reform and anti-colonial movements of the 19th and 20th centuries on specific
issues such as sati, child marriage, etc.
o The aims of the movement were centred on including women in public life with better political rights, access to education
and employment, etc.
o During the Gandhian era of national movement, women continued their movement for political rights and social reform
activities by forming organisations.
• Second phase: The second phase refers to the women’s liberation movement which began in the 1960’s and was concerned
with the legal and social equality of women.
o The publication of the Towards Equality Report (1974) and The Convention on the Abolition of all Forms of
Discrimination Against Women (1979) offered the moral and rational basis of a new wave of autonomous women’s
movement manifested both in the activist and the academic spheres.
✓ Towards Equality Report, exposed the abysmal state of women in contemporary India manifested in the declining
sex ratio, the increasing rate of female mortality and morbidity, the economic marginalisation of women and the evils
of discriminatory personal laws.
o A significant movement of this phase is the Chipko movement in 1973 which saw women protest for their rights against
environmental and economic calamities.
o The key difference between the first and second phases was that the former was espoused by men on behalf of women
while the latter was largely led by women and women’s organisations such as the Self-Employed Women’s Association
(SEWA).
• Third phase: It began in the early 1990s, surging from the new postcolonial and neoliberal world order.
o The third wave deconstructed the idea of “universal womanhood” with the focus moving from communal objectives to
individual rights.
o Women at the ‘grassroots’ of society were provided with the opportunity to be a part of formal decision-making and
governance.
✓ The 73rd and the 74th amendments to the Constitution (assuring local self-governance) provided a 33 per cent
reservation of seats for women in the Panchayat and Nagarpalika bodies.
o Women-led NGOs proliferated in a bid to provide support to other women. The movement also took up the rights of Dalit
and marginalised women.
• Fourth phase: Although debated, many claim that a fourth phase of feminism began around 2012, with a focus on sexual
harassment, body shaming, and rape.
o Although the fourth wave originated in the West, it emerged in India almost synchronously due to the widespread use
of social media.
o A key component of this wave was the use of social media like the #MeToo Movement leading to local protests and global
outrage.

6.6. PRO-LIFE VS. PRO-CHOICE

Why in the News? Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) (Amendment) Act, 2021
The Supreme Court rejected the plea of a • It allows termination of pregnancy in following cases:
married woman to abort her third pregnancy o Up to 20 weeks: Available to all on advice of single medical
practitioner (MP).
which has crossed 26 weeks.
o Between 20 and 24 weeks: Available only in specific cases such
More on News as risk to life of pregnant women, substantial risk of
abnormalities to child, etc., subject to advice of two MPs.
• The present case had been filed on the o Beyond 24 weeks: Available only on grounds of substantial foetal
ground that the petitioner was suffering abnormalities on the advice of a medical board.
from post-partum psychosis and was not • In India, carrying out abortion is illegal under section 312 and 313 of
able to raise a third child, emotionally, Indian Penal code, unless it is performed in a manner prescribed
financially, and physically. under MTP Act.
• Noticing that the pregnancy had crossed 24
weeks, the court stated that permitting the petitioner to carry on with the termination of pregnancy would violate
the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act, 2021.
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 o The Court also noted that there was no immediate threat to the mother and that it was not a case of foetal
abnormality.
✓ These are the only two exceptions to terminate a pregnancy beyond the outer limit of 24 weeks as per the
MTP Act.
• The three-judge Bench headed by the Chief Justice of India said the Court’s recognition of a woman’s autonomy
cannot eclipse the “rights of the unborn child.”
• The judgment has sparked the Pro-life vs. Pro-Choice debate in India vis-à-vis the reproductive rights of women.
Pro-Life vs. Pro-Choice debate
Pro-Life Pro-Choice
Pro-Life supporters demand that society should support the Pro-choice stance believes that women have the basic human
ability of women to give birth and provide life and no woman right to decide when and whether to have children.
should be driven to have an abortion.
Arguments of Pro-Life Arguments of Pro-Choice
• Sanctity of Human Life: Life begins at conception, making • Reproductive Rights: Abortion bans result in the denial of
abortion murder. Abortion promotes a culture in which bodily autonomy and reproductive rights to women.
human life is disposable. • Quality of Life: Forced pregnancy may adversely impact the
• Sex-selective abortions: Allowing abortions may give way mental health of the parent(s). Also Forced births can have
to sex-selective abortions as part of Planned Parenthood. an adverse impact on the upbringing of the child.
• Support for Pregnant Women: The solution to mental • Exceptions for Special Cases: Pro-choice advocates often
health problems of parents should be social and familial emphasize the importance of exceptions for cases involving
support and not abortions. rape, incest, or situations where the mother's life is at risk.
• Religious and Moral Beliefs: Many pro-life advocates • Overpopulation: Allowing women to make choices about
ground their stance in religious or moral beliefs that regard when and whether to have children can contribute to better
abortion as morally unacceptable. family planning.
• Advancements in Foetal Development Understanding: • Social Impact: Financial hardships, poverty, etc., may lead
With the advancements in medical technology, foetal to broken homes in cases of unwanted pregnancies.
viability has gone earlier during the period of pregnancy.
Pro-Life vs. Pro-Choice Debate in India
• Under the MTP Act, of 1971, abortion is a qualified right in India and can’t
be performed based solely on a woman’s request.
• The judiciary, within the legislative framework, adopted careful,
compassionate, and nuanced considerations respecting the autonomy of
women while acknowledging the welfare of the unborn child.
• Further, the SC also noted that registered medical practitioners should
refrain from imposing extra-legal conditions on women seeking to
terminate their pregnancy.
Way Forward
• Sex education: Children and adolescents should be provided age-appropriate sex education which may involve
relationship education, fertility awareness education, etc.
o It will help prevent unwanted pregnancies and incidents of sexual violence including marital rape in society.
• Reproductive healthcare: Establish and expand
reproductive healthcare to ensure that every child is Global status of abortion laws
• According to Centre for Reproductive Rights (CPR),
wanted, every birth is safe, and every girl and woman is
more than 60 countries have liberalized their
treated with dignity.
abortion laws over past 30 years.
o It should involve expanding choices and quality of • Only 4 countries – the US, Nicaragua, El Salvador,
services in family planning, strengthening midwifery and Poland - have rolled back the legality of
initiatives, etc. abortion.
• Adoption: Streamlining the process of adoption and • There are 24 countries in the world where abortion
removing adoption stigma can ensure better care for the is completely prohibited.
child if parents find child raising difficult.
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• Workplace: Equal pay for equal work regardless of gender, better paid parental leave, subsidized childcare, etc., can
also help reduce the cases of abortions.
o Need to provide an adequate gap management structure to build processes to handle maternity breaks. e.g.,
Zomato provides a unique support system of assigning an employee to assist new mothers, so that they are not
always required to be physically present at the workplace.

6.7. AGE OF CONSENT

Why in the news? About Law Commission
22nd Law Commission in its 283rd report advised that • It is a non-statutory body and is constituted by a notification of
the age of consent should be not reduced from 18 to the Ministry of Law & Justice.
16 years. • Vision: Reforming the laws for maximizing justice in society and
promoting good governance under the rule of law.
More on news • The Central Government established the First Law Commission
in 1955 (Post-Independence) with the then Attorney-General of
• Law Commission received a reference to
India, Mr. M. C. Setalvad, as its Chairman.
consider the reducing age of consent from 18 to o Since then twenty-two Law Commissions have been
16 under the Protection of Children from Sexual appointed, each with a three-year term and with a definite
Offenses (POCSO) Act, 2012. term of reference.
• POCSO Act, 2012 was enacted to protect o The first Law Commission was appointed in India in 1834
children from offences of sexual assault, sexual (Pre-Independence) as per the Charter of 1833.
harassment and pornography.
o The Act also provides for the establishment of Special Courts for the trial of such offences.
What is the Age of Consent?
• Age of consent is defined as the age at which one is considered legally competent to consent for sexual activity.
• The POCSO Act fixed the age of being categorised as a child at 18 years, thus making it the default "age of consent'.
Arguments for Reducing Age of Consent Age of consent in IPC
• In line with the age criteria provided under the POCSO Act,
• Rising Criminal Cases under the POCSO Act: In Section 375 of the Indian Penal Code was amended by the
recent times, it has been witnessed that the Criminal Law Amendment Act, 2013 to raise the age of
registration of criminal cases has been increasing consent to sexual intercourse to 18.
under the POCSO Act. • However, the exception for a man having intercourse with
o Girls’ parents want the police to press charges his wife who is not under the age of 15 years remained on
under the POCSO Act against the accused in the statute book.
cases where the two have eloped or engaged in • This is contradictory to the POCSO Act as Section 42A of the
consensual sexual activity (romantic cases). POCSO Act, which gives it an overriding effect over other
o It will help in avoiding the injustice of adolescent laws, was inserted by the same 2013 Amendment Act.
boys being treated as criminals. o In the case of Independent Thought vs Union of India,
• Children get Mature Early: Every male or female the Supreme Court read down the exception in the IPC
near the age of 14 years, due to social media that exempted sexual intercourse between a man and
awareness and easily accessible internet his wife being a girl between 15 and 18 years of age
from being considered rape.
connectivity, is getting puberty at an early age and
they are mature enough to make the right decision.
• Recognition of sexual autonomy: Sexual autonomy encompasses both, the right to engage in wanted sexual activity
and the right to be protected from unwanted sexual aggression.
o Only when both aspects of adolescents’ rights are recognised, human sexual dignity can be considered to be fully
respected.
• Adopting Global Practices: Age of consent ranges from l3 to 18 years globally. The age of consent in Germany, Austria,
Hungary, Italy, and Portugal is 14. In England and Wales, it is 16 years.

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Arguments against Reducing the Age of Consent
• Lacks emotional or psychological maturity: Due to this, they are not able to make informed decisions about sexual
activity.
• Convergence with Age of Marriage: Age of consent and age of marriage should not be conflated in theory, in practice,
given the country’s social milieu, the two are intrinsically linked.
• Child exploitation and trafficking: Any reduction in the age of consent will inevitably provide a safe harbour provision
to coerce minor girls into subjugation, marital rape and other forms of abuse, including trafficking.
• Promotes child marriage: Any decrease in the age of consent would negatively impact the age-old fight against child
marriage by providing parents an opportunity to marry off minor girls.
• Encourage child/teenage pregnancy: Lowering the age of consent could lead to dire consequences, not only for the
health and well-being of the child forced into early marriage but also for the potential offspring of such relationships.
Recommendations of Law Commission
• Guided judicial discretion: Under it, if the Court finds that if relationship between the accused and the child has been
intimate, the Court may, impose any lesser sentence on the accused than the minimum sentence prescribed under
the Act.
o For this, the difference in age between the accused and the child is not more than three years.
o It has also recommended that discretion be used if there is tactical approval, the accused has no criminal
antecedents, bears good conduct after the offence, etc.
• Amendments to the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act 2015: Cases under the POCSO Act in which
both parties are aged between 16 to 18 years can be dealt with by the Juvenile Justice Board instead of the criminal
courts.
o The Commission suggests changes to Section 18 of the JJ Act empowering the JJ Board to dispose of such cases
by awarding sentences other than imprisonment such as - admonishment, community service, counselling, and
release on probation on condition to maintain good conduct.
• Spreading awareness regarding sex, consequences of engaging in sex at an early age, information about
contraception and safe sexual behaviour along with awareness regarding the POCSO Act.

6.8. CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE

MATERIAL (CSAM)
Why in the news?
Recently, the Ministry of Electronics and Information
Technology (MeitY) issued notices to social media
platforms, including Telegram, X (formerly Twitter), and
YouTube, to remove Child Sexual Abuse Material
(CSAM) from their platforms in India.
More on news
• Information Technology (Intermediary Liability
Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules,
2021 under the IT Act 2000 lays down strict
expectations from social media intermediaries that
they should not allow criminal or harmful posts like
CSAM on their platforms.
• MeitY has warned the social media intermediaries
that any delay in complying with the notices will
result in the withdrawal of their safe harbour
protection.
o Safe harbour protection refers to immunity against third-party content, implying that it shields them from any
legal liability. It is under Section 79 of the IT Act 2000.
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What is Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM)?
• Child sexual abuse material (CSAM) refers to any content that depicts sexually explicit activities involving a child.
• CSAM are part of Online Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation (OCSAE) that incorporates activities such as luring
children into sexual chats, production, and distribution of child CSAM, live streaming sexual assault of minors etc.
o About 4.5 lakh cases of spread of CSAM have been reported in India as of May 2023.
o Globally, it is estimated that up to 1 billion children aged 2–17 years, have experienced physical, sexual, or
emotional violence.
Impact of Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) on Survivors
• Guilt, shame, and blame: Survivors might feel guilty about not having been able to stop the abuse, or even blame
themselves.
• Mental Health: Exposure to CSAM can cause psychological stress like anxiety, depression, and Post-Traumatic Stress
Disorder (PTSD), which leads to lower motivation for academics, self-harm tendencies etc.
• Social isolation: Childhood online sexual abuse leads to diminished self-esteem through harmful messages from
abusers, impairs interpersonal relationships, hinders trust-building, and deepens isolation and loneliness in
survivors.
• Substance and alcohol abuse. To cope with the trauma of childhood sexual abuse, survivors turn to alcohol and
substances in adolescence, often continuing this pattern into adulthood.
• Disease burden: CSAM contributes to a wide range of communicable and non-communicable diseases like sexually
transmitted infections including HIV, and other health conditions (unintended pregnancies, induced abortion etc.).
Measures taken to curb CSAM.
• Information Technology (IT) Act, 2000: Sections 66E, 67, 67A, and 67B of the IT Act impose stringent penalties and
fines for online transmission of obscene or pornographic content including CSAM.
• IT Rules 2021: It aims to curb the circulation of CSAM on social media platforms.
o As per Rule 3(1) (b), platforms must “make reasonable efforts” to prevent users from posting content that is
paedophilic or harmful to children.
o Rule 4(4) requires large social media platforms (more than 50 lakh users in India) to deploy technology-based
measures, including automated tools to proactively identify information that depicts child sexual abuse.
• Protection of Children against Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012: It provides protection to all children under the
age of 18 years from offences of sexual assault, sexual harassment, and pornography.
o It provides for stringent punishments which have been graded as per the gravity of the offence.
• Online Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation (OCSAE) Prevention/Investigation Unit was set up by CBI to probe
offences covered under various provisions of IPC, POCSO Act and IT Act, apart from other relevant laws.
• Under the Nirbhaya Fund, the Government implements a project namely, 'Cyber Crime Prevention against Women
and Children (CCPWC)', for awareness.
• Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 places three conditions on data processing entities for children’s data:
Obtaining “verifiable parental consent”, not causing harm to children, and not tracking or monitoring children or
targeting ads at them.
• Initiatives by Social Platforms: YouTube uses an automatic tool called Child Sexual Abuse Imagery (CSAI) Match to
proactively weed out CSAM.
Challenges in Countering Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM)
• Lack of awareness: Limited knowledge and access to India’s CSAM reporting platforms leads to an very low number
of self-reported crimes.
o In 2020, the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal (NCRP) recorded 1,102 cybercrimes against children. By
contrast, NCRB received about 2.7 lakh reports of OCSAE from the National Centre for Missing and Exploited
Children (NCMEC) in 2020 alone.
• Balancing Privacy and Safety of children: To trace content related to child sexual abuse, social media platforms would
have to break end-to-end encryption, compromising the security of online communications and violating the Right
to Privacy under Article 21.
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• Anonymity: Offenders exploit the vulnerabilities of young children through social networking websites and Chat
spaces using fake accounts. This makes the identification of sexual abusers, facilitators, and prosecution of viewers
of child abuse content difficult.
• Digital age: The increased use of social media platforms, the mass migration to online classes, and the use of
educational apps can also negatively impact children.
o From 2019- 2020, Cybercrimes against children rose by 400% due to COVID-19 and shift to online mode of services
such as education etc. Nearly 90% of these crimes involved the publication or transmission of CSAM.
Way forward
• Regulation: Social Media Companies can implement
proactive measures such as content moderation
algorithms and reporting mechanisms to prevent the
future dissemination of such content.
o Also, there is a need to develop a National
Framework for Child Online Safety to recognize
the importance of safe physical and online
environments to promote the well-being of all
children and young people.
• Target online grooming and preparatory behaviour:
Identify and combat preparatory child sexual
exploitation and abuse activity (such as online
grooming for child sexual abuse).
o Online grooming is a term used to describe the
tactics abusers deploy through the internet to
sexually exploit children.
• Awareness: A nationwide awareness campaign
through mass media can generate the necessary public attention towards the issue of child sexual abuse.
o Also, steps should be taken to integrate modules on OCSAE into computer science and sex education curricula
at schools.
• Collaboration: India should adopt an outward-looking approach and explore bilateral or multilateral partnerships
to promote child safety online. Strategic partnerships with countries having robust mechanisms to address OCSAE.
E.g., Australia can be explored.
• A specialised approach for children: Enhanced safety measures while browsing can be developed with the aim of
protecting children, in particular from peers or adults seeking to engage in harmful sexual activity with children.

6.9. CHILDREN’S PROLONGED USAGE OF SOCIAL MEDIA

Why in the news?
A recent survey has indicated that 60% of urban kids spend 3 hours daily on social media and other online platforms.
Role of different stakeholders in increasing children’s access to Internet
• Parents: In modern society, especially in urban society where both parents are working, parents are unable to provide
adequate attention to a child, leading to the modern phenomenon of the “iPad kid”.
o It describes a young child who is always glued to their iPad or other smart device.
o Additionally, Parents expose children to social media by uploading sonogram pictures, posting about their
experiences in pregnancy, uploading photos of their newborns, etc.
• Digital companies (like YouTube or Instagram): With the help of data mining and analysis, show content according to
children's inclination in order to attract their attention.
o Stimuli from the screen like color, sound, and stories change superfast which can be sensory overload releasing
hormones of happiness in children.
• Schools: The pandemic accelerated the transition to digital learning platforms without creating awareness about
negative impacts.
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 o Parents also feel pressure to provide the technological device as most of the work given after the pandemic is
done online.
• Children: The digital world helps in escape from real-life challenges and stressors and get attracted.
o There is pressure from peers to use the latest technology and latest games and applications.
• Government: Lack of separate regulation for adults and children.

Positive and Negative Effects of social media on Children

Positive Negative
• Cognitive Skills: Several social media applications • Cyberbullying and Online Harassment: Children may become
can help in learning skills like reading, writing, victims of bullying, harassment, or exclusion on social media
counting etc. through the games. platforms, which can lead to emotional distress, anxiety, and even
• Universal Values: Can teach children to respect depression.
others’ points of view and start paying more • Fake news: Social media is an easy and potential platform to
attention to universal morals and values as they spread fake, artificial, embarrassing, and hostile information about
interact with people from all over the world. others.
• Social Skills: Social media provides a great amount • Defective social relationship: Children can get stressed while
of easiness in communicating and interacting with making face-to-face contact with the people around and become
different people. addicted to social media to communicate with others.
• Increased Access to Information: Social media can • Distorted Senescence of reality: Children have limited capabilities
provide a wealth of information on various topics. in distinguishing online reality from actual reality.
• Creativity: Children express their creativity, share • Facebook Depression: Children can become afraid of not having
their ideas, and showcase their talents through enough likes and losing the perceived online support.
various mediums such as art, writing, or video • Excessive Screen Time: It can lead to reduced physical activity,
content. poor sleep patterns, and other health-related issues.
Way forward
• Parental controls: Parents can opt for parental control settings for internet usage. For example, restricting or allowing
certain websites to be viewed on the Internet.
• Empowering children: Empowerment techniques include teaching them about legal boundaries in age-appropriate
language, as well as discussing their communities’ cultural, moral, and ethical norms and expectations.
• Using technology: Updating children's devices with the latest software and privacy settings so as to minimize data
collection.
• Regulation: Governments can enact and enforce laws and regulations that safeguard children's online privacy and
prevent cyberbullying.
• Role of Internet provider: They can prevent and respond to child sexual exploitation and abuse online by Child-
centred features and functions, effective reporting and feedback mechanisms, etc.
• Schools: They can educate students on the safe and effective use of the Internet.
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• Encouraging Physical Activities: Initiatives like “Fit India Movement” should be promoted to encourage physical
activity and inculcate a sense of discipline and teamwork in children.
• The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Guideline on Child Online Protection (2020): They can be adapted
and used by different countries and stakeholders in a way that is consistent with national and local customs and laws.

6.10. CIRCULAR MIGRATION

Why in the news?
According to several experts, internal migration in India has
almost always been circular, with a seasonal flow of
migrants from rural areas to urban cities.
What is a circular migration?
• While there is no standard definition of circular
migration, it generally refers to the phenomenon of
repeated migration experiences involving more than
one emigration and return.
o It means that instead of migrating permanently or
temporarily (moving for a period of time to
complete any contract-based labor) to another
location, people move when work is available.
• It is a phenomenon mostly among low-income groups
who migrate to avail of seasonally available jobs in
another country, city, place, etc.
Benefits of circular migration
• Balances the needs of the development of states or cities and similarly the economic development of individuals.
• Reduces brain drain by facilitating demand-based internal migration and encourages the transfer of skills and know-
how (“brain circulation”).
• Address labor market shortages, while minimizing permanent population growth.
• Reduces risk of income instability by spreading it between village and city income opportunities.
• Reduces pressures associated with permanent immigration, such as competition for resources, cultural challenges,
illegal migration, etc.
• Circular migrants tend to send more money home as remittances than migrants who do not intend to return home.
• Facilitates cultural exchange by exposing individuals to different cultures, ideas, and practices.
Challenges with Circular Migration in India Measures for internal migrants in India
• Exploitation by employers: Unhygienic • Inter-state Migrant Workmen (Regulation of Employment and
Conditions of Service) Act, 1979 (subsumed in the Occupational Safety,
and unsafe working conditions, absence
Health and the Working Conditions (OSH) Code): Provides for decent
of social security, violation of labour
working conditions, minimum wages, grievance redressal mechanisms,
norms such as minimum wages etc. protection from abuse and exploitation, enhancement of skills and social
• Subsistence-level employment, with security etc. for Inter-State migrants.
limited opportunities for savings or asset • Social security and welfare schemes:
creation. o Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY) and Pradhan
• Limited policy support from the Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY): Provide for life & disability
government due to lack of data and cover due to natural or accidental death.
under-reporting of its extent. o Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Man Dhan Pension Scheme (PM-SYM):
Provides for old age social security in the form of monthly pension.
• Exclusion from political processes in
destination areas.
• Driven mostly by distress and vulnerability with the majority of the circular migrants being from disadvantaged
groups and poor education backgrounds.
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• Other issues: Social isolation, Language barriers, Job uncertainty, anti-migrant sentiments in host states etc.
Way forward
• Comprehensive data on circular migrant workers can be collected at the national, and regional levels, e.g., in Periodic
Labour Force Survey (PLFS).
• Providing safety net in the form of insurance policies at low cost, occupational safety, and skill enhancement schemes.
• Coherence and coordination between the Center and State governments for the regulation of labor laws, by creating
an interstate migration council.
• Formulating dedicated government policies to integrate migrant labor force into formal economic framework.
• Robust protection of migrant rights to address exploitation and abuse.

6.11. GLOBAL HUNGER INDEX (GHI)

Why in the News?
Global Hunger Index (GHI) 2023 is released by Concern Worldwide and Welt Hunger Hilfe, Non-Government
Organisations from Ireland and Germany respectively.

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Key findings of the GHI
• Global trends
o Since 2015, little progress has been made in reducing hunger reflecting the combined effects of several crises
including the COVID-19 pandemic, the Russia-Ukraine war, the impacts of climate change, etc.
o South Asia and Africa South of the Sahara are the world regions with the highest hunger levels, with GHI scores
of 27.0 each.
• India related findings
o India is ranked 111th among 125 countries with a GHI score of 28.7 and is categorized as Serious on the GHI
Severity of Hunger Scale.
✓ It marks a slight improvement in India’s GHI score of 29.2 recorded in 2015.
o India has the highest child-wasting rate in the world, at 18.7%, reflecting acute undernutrition.
o Further, there was 58.1% of prevalence of anaemia among women aged 15-24.
Issues raised by government of India on GHI
• Methodological: Three out of the four indicators used for the calculation of the index are related to the health of
Children and cannot be representative of the entire population.
o Child stunting, wasting and under-5 mortality are outcomes of complex interactions of various other factors like
drinking water, sanitation, genetics, environment and utilisation of food intake apart from hunger.
• Small sample size: The indicator of Proportion of the Undernourished (PoU) population is based on an opinion poll
conducted on a very small sample size.
o The report lowers India’s rank based on the estimate of the PoU population for India at 16.3%.
• Use of data: The government questions the use of data for child wasting from NFHS 5 instead of the Poshan Tracker.
o Data recorded on the Poshan Tracker portal showed child wasting prevalence of 7.2% among a total of 7.24 crore
under-five-year-olds whose data was captured.
✓ WHO has recognized the Poshan Tracker as an exemplary platform for flawlessly collecting routine
administrative data on nutrition.
Government initiatives to address hunger in India
• National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013: Recognizes the right to food as a statutory right.
• Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) launched to provide food grains free of costs to 80 crore poor.
• Pradhan Mantri Matri Vandana Yojna: Registered women were provided Rs 5000/- on the birth of their first child for
wage support and nutritious food during pregnancy and post-delivery period.
• POSHAN Abhiyan (National Nutrition Mission): Aims to achieve improvement in key nutrition parameters for
children and women.
• POSHAN Tracker: It is a real-time monitoring system that enables authorities to track progress and identify gaps in
the supply chain of service delivery.
• Eat Right Movement: Aims to transform the country’s food system to ensure safe, healthy and sustainable food.
Conclusion
The GHI 2023 exposes ongoing global struggles against hunger, intensified by diverse crises. India's critique of GHI's
methodology underscores the challenge of accurately assessing hunger. Despite GHI imperfections, India must address
its malnutrition issue. While government initiatives target nutrition, a nuanced comprehension of diverse factors is vital
for effective policies combating hunger and malnutrition.

6.12. SPORTS IN INDIA

Why in the news?
In the 19th Asian Games India achieved a new milestone by clinching 107 medals, including 28 gold, 38 silver, and 41
bronze.

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More on News
Sports in India
• India has been ranked 4th place.
• Sports in India are listed in Entry 33, List II of the constitution
• This feat surpassed India’s previous best of 70 and are necessarily under the domain of the federal states.
medals at the 18th Asian Games. • Current Sports Governance Model in India
• China topped the list with 383 medals followed o Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports (MYAS) has institutions
by Japan, and the Republic of Korea. like the Sports Authority of India (SAI) and other institutions
working towards promoting sports training under SAI.
Factors behind Improved Performance
o Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has State Olympic
• Sports Governance: In 2011 the Ministry of Associations (SOAs) and National and State Sports
Youth Affairs and Sports implemented the Federations (NSFs and SFs).
National Sports Development Code of India. o For non-Olympic sports (cricket), federations like the Board
of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) are directly affiliated
o It aims to bring transparency and
with their respective international boards.
accountability to the functioning of
National Sports Federations (NSFs) and promote good governance practices in the management of sports at the
national level.
• Infrastructure and Training: The Sports Authority of India has played a key role in improving infrastructure such as
establishing stadiums in different parts of the country.
o Efforts have been made to bring world-class coaches, sports doctors and trainers from foreign countries.
• Funding: Budget allocation for Sports has increased over the year. For instance, Budget allocation for the Ministry of
Youth Affairs and Sports has been increased by 11% in FY2023-24 in comparison to FY 2022-23.
• Role of States: States like Uttar Pradesh have
launched initiatives like the One District, One Sport
(ODOS) scheme.
• Role of Corporates: Corporations have utilised their
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) for the
promotion of sports.
• Community-Based Sports: They organize leagues,
fitness classes, and community events centred around
sports and physical activities.
• Recognition in Society: Earlier, only sportspersons
from a few sports received recognition. But in recent
times athletes from different fields have been
recognised in society.
• Hosting International Events: In the recent past,
there has also been greater international
competitive exposure to Indian athletes with several
world-class tournaments hosted at home like the
Indian Open Badminton tournament.
Challenges Faced in Promoting Sports
• Sports hierarchy: There is a lack of a hierarchy in
sports from the grassroots level to the national level.
• Poor Governance: The current model of governance of Indian sports clearly lacks accountability and transparency,
which creates an environment that is conducive to wide-scale corruption.
o Sports federations are often dominated by political associates with little expertise in sports. These are alleged
with nepotism, fiefdom etc.
• Changing nature of society and social activity: Increasing urbanisation and digitisation have reduced the avenues and
interest of children to engage in physical activities and consequently in sports.
• Lack of remuneration and job security: Parents hesitate to choose sports as a profession for their children and focus
more on academic excellence.

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• Poor Funding: In India, approx. Rs 24 per capita/ per year for sports which is much less in comparison to the European
Union’s Rs 8,000 per capita sports budget.
• Psychological Support: In India, training is solely sports-oriented with little focus on the psychological robustness of
the athletes.
• Other: Regionalism in selection and facilities (States like Haryana and Punjab have better facilities), sexual
harassment, Too much importance to
Initiatives Taken to Promote Sports
Cricket etc.
• TOPS (Target Olympic Podium Scheme): It has been instrumental in
Measures Required to Further Improve ensuring that a “core group of athletes” have all the necessary personalised
Sports Performance support in terms of foreign exposure, hiring of specific coaches, training and
competition abroad.
• Sports education as part of the o It is supported by the National Sports Development Fund (NSDF).
National Curriculum Framework • Khelo India Scheme: The Scheme’s primary focus is to create a national-level
(NCF): To achieve this, it is important platform for athletes to showcase their talent and to identify them for
to have the sports curriculum further grooming and financial support.
framework drafted, piloted & tested o Under this, Khelo India State Centres of Excellence are being developed
in a few schools, ratified accordingly in all states.
with suggestions from industry • Fit India Movement: Promotes physical fitness and sports culture among
Indians. It encourages people of all age groups to adopt an active and healthy
experts and implemented nationwide.
lifestyle.
• Oversight: Sports associations should
• National Sports University: India’s first dedicated National Sports University
be established at block and district has been set up in Manipur.
levels supervising respective sports
academies at that level.
• Sports professionals in sports administration: This would ensure informed decisions are made, resulting in more
effective and knowledge-based policies.
• Bridging Regional disparity: All the States and UTs must be given adequate funds for infrastructure and other
facilities. Reduce rural-urban and rich-poor divide etc.
• Funding: There is a need to increase budgetary allocation for sports development along with encouraging private
participation to develop world-class infrastructure, training equipment, organising conditioning camps and overseas
exposure.
• Employment: Government enterprises including PSUs should be directed to employ sportspersons on a certain
percentage of vacancies. Besides, the private sector should be incentivized such as tax rebates to employ
sportspersons.
• Recognition and changing mindset: Increased coverage of all sports on TV and other mediums.

6.13. NEWS IN SHORTS

6.13.1. DRAFT GUIDELINES FOR SCHOOLS o 'Every Child Matters' is the underlying belief in
developing the guidelines for prevention of
TO PREVENT SUICIDE
suicide.
• Ministry of Education (MoE) released draft guidelines • Suicide is a complex interplay of personal and social
titled UMMEED (Understand, Motivate, Manage, factors, which is rarely caused by a single circumstance
Empathise, Empower, Develop) serve as “directions to or event.
schools for enhancing sensitivity, understanding, and o Mental Healthcare Act 2017, decriminalized
providing support in case of reported self-harm”. suicide in India.

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• Factors influencing suicides • Implementing agency
o Individual: Adverse childhood experiences (abuse, o Mode 1: District Administration
violence, etc.); Addiction to social media, o Mode 2: Voluntary organisation (VO)/ Non-
substance use, etc.; internal pressure to perform Government Organisation (NGO)/ other
well in life etc. organisations.
o School: Lack of positive relationships with
peers/teachers, bullying, humiliation, isolation, 6.13.3. IDENTIFICATION AND
etc.; Absence of school-family connect; Academic MANAGEMENT OF MALNUTRITION IN
pressure from school etc. CHILDREN
o Family: Conflict and instability (divorce, financial
• Ministry of Women and Child Development (WCD)
hardships etc.); Parental neglect/ abuse;
launched the protocol in collaboration with the
Pressuring students into preparing for competitive
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and the
examinations etc.
Ministry of AYUSH for addressing Malnutrition among
o Community and Society: Stigma associated with
Children.
mental illness; Sensationalized and insensitive
• The protocol provides detailed guidelines for the
reporting of suicide cases in media etc.
identification and management of malnourished
children at the Anganwadi level.
o The identification of malnourished children and
their treatment is an integral aspect of Mission
Poshan 2.0
• Key Components of the Protocol:
o Growth monitoring, appetite testing, nutritional
management of malnourished children.
✓ In Appetite Test children offered food
according to body weight. If the child does not
consume three-fourths of the food, they are
transferred to a Nutritional Rehabilitation
Centre (NRC).
o Follow-up care of children who manage to achieve
requisite growth parameters after intervention.
o ‘Buddy mother’ initiative where the mother of a
healthy baby guides the mother of a malnourished
child at an Angandwadi centre every week.
✓ The ‘Buddy mother’ concept was first used in
Assam.
o Encourages diet diversity, and has recommended
micronutrients in food.
• There are 7.7 per cent of Children under 5 years who
are severely wasted.
6.13.2. SHRESHTA SCHEME
6.13.4. SPECS2030 INITIATIVE
• Till now in FY 2023-24 the expenditure under
SHRESHTA (Residential Education for Students in High • It’s a WHO initiative to address global vision
Schools in Targeted Areas) is Rs. 14.94 cr. impairment and blindness. It aims to ensure access to
• Ministry: Ministry for Social Justice and Empowerment eye care and treatment for all.
• Type: Central Sector Scheme • Purpose: Reporting of the number of people who
• Objective: To fill the gap in service-deprived SCs receive spectacles.
(Scheduled Castes) dominant areas, provide an • India's Role: In India, where over 100 million people
environment for socio-economic upliftment of SCs, may lack access to eye care and glasses, Specs 2030 will
etc. bring positive change.
• Benefits: High quality free residential education to • Myopia-Near sightedness-can be corrected by concave
poor and meritorious scheduled caste (SC) students lens.
from class 9th to class 12th.

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• Hypermetropia-Farsightedness-can be corrected by ✓ The word ‘Hakki’ stands for ‘bird' and ‘Pikki’
convex lens. stands for the verb ‘to catch’.
• Presbyopia-the gradual loss of the eyes' ability to focus o After their trade of bird hunting was outlawed,
on nearby objects, bifocal lens is prescribed. they were rehabilitated in the 1970s.
o They are said to be a matriarchal group.
6.13.5. HAKKI PIKKI TRIBE o They communicate in 'Vaagri'.
✓ UNESCO has listed 'Vaagri' as one of the
• About Hakki Pikki Tribe
endangered languages.
o They are a semi-nomadic tribal group from
✓ They are renowned for their indigenous
Karnataka.
medicines.
o The community is known as the ‘bird catcher,’
which is their traditional occupation.

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6. SOCIAL ISSUES
6.1. TRIBAL WELFARE
Why in the news? About Birsa Munda (1875-1900)
• Early life: Birsa Munda also known as Dharti Aaba, was
Recently, the Union government launched PM JANMAN
born in Munda tribe at Ulihatu, Khunti district of
(PM- Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan) on Janjatiya
Chotanagpur Plateau region (Jharkhand).
Gaurav Divas (Tribal Pride Day) • Social reforms: He stressed on the importance of prayer,
More on the news staying away from alcohol, having faith in God and
observing a code of conduct.
• Janjatiya Gaurav Divas is celebrated on 15th o Based on these, he started the faith of Birsait.
November (since 2021) to recognize the efforts of the • Ulgulan movement: Birsa started a movement called
tribal freedom fighters. 'Ulgulan', or 'The Great Tumult' against the exploitation
o The date is the birth anniversary of Sri Birsa and discrimination against tribals.
Munda who is revered as Bhagwan by tribal o Led to Chotanagpur Tenancy Act being passed in 1908
communities across the country. which restricted the passing on of land from the tribal
• The occasion also coincided with the launch of the people to non-tribals.
nationwide ‘Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra’.
Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs)
o The focus of the Yatra will be on reaching out • These are centrally recognized special category from among the
to people, creating awareness, and providing Scheduled Tribes (STs).
benefits of welfare schemes. • First recognized in 1973 as Primitive Tribal Groups (PTGs) based
o The Yatra will start from districts with on recommendations of the U N Dhebar Commission (1961).
significant tribal populations initially and by • In 2006, the Government of India renamed the PTGs as PVTGs.
25th January 2024 and will cover all districts • Criteria for identifying PVTGs:
across the country. o Pre-agricultural level of technology
o Low level of literacy
About PM JANMAN o Economic backwardness
• Pradhan Mantri PVTG Development Mission o A declining or stagnant population
was announced in the Union Budget 2023-24. • Currently, there are 75 PVTGs spread over 18 states and the
Union Territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
• The mission comprises of 11 critical
• Odisha houses highest number (13) of PVTGs in India.
interventions through 9 ministries with an
estimated outlay of ₹24104 crore
for 3 years.
• The mission aims to saturate
PVTG households and habitations
with basic facilities such as safe
housing, clean drinking water and
sanitation, improved access to
education, health, and nutrition,
etc.
o In addition, saturation will be
ensured for Sickle Cell Disease
Elimination, TB Elimination,
100% immunization, PM
Surakshit Matritva Yojana, PM
Matru Vandana Yojana, PM
Poshan, etc.
Challenges faced by Tribal people
• Erosion of Identity: Traditional institutions and laws of tribals come into conflict with modern institutions raising
apprehensions among the tribals about preserving their identity.
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 o e.g., Extinction of tribal dialects and languages. Panchsheel Principles for Tribal development
• Displacement and Rehabilitation: Displacement of • People should develop along the lines of their own genius,
tribals from their native lands due to development, and the imposition of alien values should be avoided.
disasters, conflict, etc. • Tribal rights to land and forest should be respected.
• Education: Wide gap in terms of the percentage of • Teams of tribals should be trained in the work of
literacy between tribals and the general population. administration and development.
o The literacy rate among STs is just 59% which is • Should not over administer these areas or overwhelm
73% among the general population. (Census them with a multiplicity of schemes.
2011) • Judge results, not by statistics, but by the quality of human
character that is evolved.
o The main causes of low levels of literacy among
tribals include poverty, inadequate infrastructure, medium of instruction other than their mother tongue, etc.
• Health: The tribal population suffers a triple burden of disease - high rates of malnutrition and communicable
diseases, a rise in non-communicable diseases (cancer, diabetes, etc.) due to rapid urbanization, and mental illness
and addiction.
• Debt-Bondage: Debt-bondage among tribals is a significant problem, often leading to situations of bonded labour.
o Causes of debt bondage include extreme poverty, loopholes in money-lending laws, lack of employment
opportunities for tribals, weak public delivery system, etc.
• Climate Change Impact: Tribal communities often live in close connection with nature and are vulnerable to the
impacts of climate change.
• Marginalization and Discrimination: Tribal groups encounter social marginalization, restricting access to education,
healthcare, and employment opportunities.
Way Forward
• Identification of PVTGs and assessment of their vulnerabilities: Specially designed census to assess and enumerate
health, education, and nutrition of tribals.
o Objective assessment of the degree of indebtedness of tribal households and design strategies to redeem their
debts and make them debt-
free.
• Recognition of rights and
development approaches:
Adopt a rights-based approach
for the protection and
promotion of tribal rights and
empowerment of rights-holders.
o Strict controls need to be
imposed to ensure
development on tribal land
and habitat should not take
place without their free,
prior, and informed
consent.
• Institutions of governance and
service delivery: Institutionalize
participatory process within existing structures and programmes, placing PVTGs at high priority.
o Strengthen and revitalize the traditional institutions and governance systems rather than superimposing one-
size-fits-all institutional structures.
• Nutrition, education, and health: Develop effective, preventive and curative healthcare systems taking into account
ecological and cultural aspects.
o Development of education curriculum which should be locally relevant, culturally sensitive and in vernacular
languages.

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6.2. SOCIAL ISOLATION AND LONELINESS
Why in the news?
World Health Organization (WHO) has declared loneliness a pressing
global health threat and has initiated an international commission
focused on tackling loneliness.
More on the news
• The WHO Commission on Social Connection (2024–2026) aims to
see the issue recognised and resourced as a global public health
priority.
• The new WHO Commission will-
o Define a global agenda on social connection.
o Raising awareness and building collaborations that will drive
evidence-based solutions for countries, communities, and
individuals.
Factors Responsible for Social Isolation and Loneliness
• Migration and related issues: People relocated to different places
may feel isolated due to language barriers, financial struggles, and
difficulties in adapting to a new culture.
• Personality Types: Individuals with higher levels of
conscientiousness and neuroticism are more likely to feel lonely.
• Technological and Social Media Impact: Issues such as internet or
social media addiction can reduce face-to-face interactions,
contributing to a sense of isolation.
• Time Constraints from Work: Extended working hours and limited
leisure time may cause individuals to prefer solitude, leading to
isolation.
• Professional failures: Comparison and continuous evaluation,
subsequent failure results in low self-esteem which leads to social
isolation.
• Challenges Faced by Older Adults: Factors like retirement, loss of
touch with colleagues, and reduced financial independence can
result in feelings of disconnection.
o The empty nest syndrome, where children leave home for
education or careers, can intensify loneliness among older
parents.
• Social Exclusion: Experiences of exclusion based on gender, race, or
other factors can lead to social isolation and loneliness.
Impact of social isolation and loneliness
• Health Risks: Social isolation was associated with about a 50%
increased risk of dementia, 29% increased risk of heart disease and
32% increased risk of stroke.
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• Adoption of unhealthy habits: Substance abuse, disrupted cycle and poor quality of sleep, among others, lead to
daytime fatigue, irritability, lack of focus and loss of productivity.
• Increased risk of premature deaths: Social isolation significantly increases the risk of premature death from all
causes, which may rival those of smoking, obesity, and physical inactivity.
• Poor Economic Outcome: Experiencing a sense of isolation and lack of support in the workplace can contribute to
diminished job satisfaction and performance.
o Loneliness costs the US economy an estimated $406 billion a year.
• Poor education outcome: Young people experiencing loneliness in high
school are more likely to drop out of university.
Way Forward to Address Social Isolation and Loneliness
• Community level
o Establish an environment designed to guarantee accessibility to
secure, cost-effective physical infrastructure, encompassing parks
and community centers.
o Encourage involvement in social causes and fulfilling activities, such
as volunteering at old age homes, orphanages, or NGOs.
o Establish non-familial intergenerational support programs to reduce
loneliness and exclusion for both older people and children and
young people.
• Individual level
o Embrace personalized programs like mindfulness and meditation to reprogram the subconscious mind.
o Foster meaningful relationships and build a support system to combat loneliness.
• Societal level
o Launch educational campaigns to increase awareness of loneliness and its health implications.
o Advocate for government policies that empower schools, workplaces, and community-based organizations to
prioritize addressing social isolation and loneliness.
o Secure public and private funding to support the development, implementation, and evaluation of loneliness
programs.

6.3. ACCESSIBILITY IN URBAN INFRASTRUCTURE

Why in the news?
The Court of Chief Commissioner of
Persons with Disabilities has delivered
judgments that are significantly
important in reshaping the attitudes
towards Persons with Disabilities (PwD).
More about the news
• The Court mandated government
offices, operating from inaccessible
premises to relocate their services
to the ground floor or another
accessible location within the same
facility.
• In a separate judgement, the Court
emphasized that all airlines
operating in the country to
implement the provisions of the
Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act 2016 to its true spirit.

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Need for Accessible Infrastructure
• Fulfilment of Legal Right: Right to accessibility is ensured as a legal right to the PwDs under the RPwD Act 2016
o Nearly 2.21% of the population have disability in one form or the other as per the last census report (2011)
o To impart Right to education as three-fourths of the children with disabilities at the age of five years and one-
fourth between 5-19 years do not go to any educational institution.
• Livelihood opportunities: To provide livelihood opportunities and avenues for obtaining skills to those persons with
disability in need.
• Differing Needs: There are different accessibility Needs for PwDs ranging from physical, sensory and mental
capabilities and the accessibility design needs various elements, features and services.
o Eg. While a ramp is necessary for a person in wheel chair, tactile paving is necessary for visually impaired.
• Economic Aspects: As inclusion of the PwDs into the stream of employment could result in an increase of 3-7% in
GDP as per ILO.
o Estimates suggest that India’s inattention to a disability-inclusive economy could result in lost opportunity of
over $ 210 Billion.
Challenges in establishing Accessible infrastructure
• Missed targets of Accessible India campaign like
o Only 8.73% of the buses were made accessible till 2022 as to the target of making 25% buses accessible by 2018
o Only 48.5% of the government buildings were made accessible till 2022, as to a target of making 50% of the
government buildings accessible by 2018.
• Funds: Allocation of funds for PwDs is meagre for improving the accessibility aspect of all public infrastructures.
o Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MSJE) was allocated only 1,225 crore (0.027% of the total budget
for 2023-24).
• Dispute Redressal: Slow pace of issue redressal against the complaints raised regarding the accessibility issues
• Awareness: Lack of awareness among the PwDs that claiming for the accessibility is their right as per the provisions
of the RPwD Act, 2016 and not a welfare measure.
Way Forward
• Introducing accessibility professionals along with the empaneled professionals maintained by municipal authorities
and codify the same in model building bye-laws and the National Building Code.
• Set up an accessibility committee by the Parliament, for delivering recommendations on making every aspect of the
Parliamentary process more disabled-friendly.
• Incorporating accessibility criteria in all central and state level procurement laws and policies in public procurement
of physical, digital and transport infrastructure.
• Ensuring that the accessibility targets are met and allocate the required funds mandated to do the same.
• By not treating accessibility merely a physical attribute of built environment but also to create sensory, cognitive
and multi-faceted impact, as per the need of all PwDs accessing them.
Government initiatives for making infrastructures accessible
• Accessible India Campaign (Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan) aims to make a barrier-free and conducive environment for PwDs all
over the country.
o It has three important verticals– the Build Environment, the transportation sector and the ICT ecosystem.
• Harmonised Guidelines and Space Standards for Barrier Free Built Environment for Persons with Disabilities and Elderly
Persons, issued by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs in 2017.
• Scheme for Implementation of Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act (SIPDA), 2016 is a Central Sector Scheme, which
provides financial assistance in making existing Government buildings accessible to PwDs
• Sugamya Bharat app was launched by the the Department of Empowerment for Persons with Disabilities to enable persons
with disabilities to report any building that is inaccessible.
• ICT Ecosystem (Websites) –Nearly 603 Central and State/UT government websites have been made accessible for the visually
impaired through assistive technologies like screen readers.
o Bureau of Indian Standards has set two standards for digital offerings in “websites, applications, information and
communication technology-based public facilities and services meant for everyday use for PwDs.

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6.4. DRAFT NATIONAL MENSTRUAL HYGIENE POLICY, 2023
Why in the news?
Recently, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare released the Draft
National Menstrual Hygiene Policy, 2023.
About Menstrual Hygiene Policy
• Policy recognizes menstruation as a natural bodily process for all
who menstruate including girls and women of reproductive age and
addresses the long-standing challenges associated with menstruation
in our country.
o Historically, this biological phenomenon has been overlooked,
resulting in a negative impact on girls, women, families, and the environment.
• The policy aims that all women, girls and persons who menstruate can experience menstruation in a manner that is
safe, healthy, and free from stigma.
• By adopting a life cycle approach, the policy ensures comprehensive support through the entire menstrual journey,
recognizing the unique needs of individuals from menarche to menopause.
o Menarche refers to the first occurrence of menstruation and Menopause marks the time when menstrual cycles end.
• The policy places a specific focus on prioritizing underserved and vulnerable populations, ensuring equitable access
to menstrual hygiene resources.
Policy strategy
• Ensuring access to affordable and safe menstrual hygiene products
o Develop a mechanism to ensure affordable products are
available to all.
o Initiatives for free or subsidized menstrual hygiene products.
o Targeted outreach programs in rural areas and developed supply
chains and distribution networks.
• Promote Quality Standards and Regulatory Framework
o Develop and implement comprehensive quality standards for
different types of menstrual hygiene products.
o Clear and accurate product labelling and a strong regulatory
framework to monitor compliance with quality standards.
• Availability of Clean and Dignified Menstrual Hygiene Facilities in
homes, educational institutions, and public spaces.
o Develop and implement systems to ensure that menstrual waste
is managed in an environmentally friendly manner.
• Promotion of education and awareness of menstrual hygiene
• Collaboration with the Non-Government Sector/Engagement with the private sector for research and development,
bringing innovation, developing distribution channels, Leveraging corporate social responsibility, etc.
• Integrate principles of menstrual hygiene into existing health, education, sanitation, gender, and environment
programs.
• Foster research and innovation in menstrual hygiene management.
Need for a Menstrual Hygiene Policy
• Health and well-being of women: Access to safe and hygienic menstrual products, can prevent reproductive tract
infections and other health issues.
• Access to education: A 2014 report by an NGO said over 23 million girls drop out of school every year due to a lack
of adequate menstrual hygiene facilities, this can be curtailed.
• Gender equality: Promoting menstrual health and hygiene is an important means for safeguarding women’s dignity,
privacy, bodily integrity, and, consequently, their self-efficacy.
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• Participation in work: Providing basic services at the work environment e.g. access to sanitary products, and
menstrual leave will promote the participation of women in work.
• Environment: Ensuring women and girls have access to sustainable and quality products and improving the
management of the disposal of menstrual products, can make a big difference to the environment.
• Ensuring Dignity and Respect: Discrimination against menstruating women is widespread in India e.g. denied entry
into temples and shrines and even kept out of kitchens, the policy can bring awareness about menstruation.
Challenges to Menstrual Hygiene Current programs for Menstrual hygiene management
• Menstrual Hygiene Scheme (2011) focussed on the
• Social stigma and taboos: A study highlighted that distribution of low-cost sanitary napkins in
menstruating women in remote villages of the Himalayas communities through ASHAs.
still practice segregation due to the belief that menstrual • Swachha Bharat Mission (2014) -The Ministry of Jal
blood is impure. Shakti included menstrual hygiene management in
• Poverty: Poor girls in rural and remote areas cannot afford the Swachh Bharat Mission -Gramin initiatives in
Menstrual hygiene products. 2014.
• Limited waste management: Due to a lack of extended • National Guidelines for Menstrual Hygiene
producer responsibility and proper guidelines, proper Management (2015) – By the Ministry of Education,
these National guidelines provided a valuable
waste management of menstrual products faces
blueprint for all the States to intensify work on the
complexities. issue of menstrual hygiene management.
o Most sanitary pads, laden with plastic, cannot • Schemes by various states
biodegrade naturally. o “Asmita Yojana” in Maharashtra, “Udaan” in
• work environment issues: Lack of access to washrooms, Rajasthan, and” Khushi” in Odisha, schemes
clean water for bathing and Problems in access to cost- have provisions for distributing subsidized or
effective menstrual hygiene products and their safe free sanitary napkins to adolescent girls.
disposal.
o Only two states, Kerala and Bihar, currently have menstrual leave policies for women.
Conclusion
Although there have been recent initiatives by central and state governments to improve access to hygienic menstrual
products, many of these programs are limited to certain areas. Therefore, it is crucial to expand these initiatives to reach
as many underserved individuals as possible. Draft Menstrual hygiene policy has the potential to contribute significantly
to the creation of a society where menstruation is understood, accepted, and managed without barriers or discrimination.

6.5. SURROGACY IN INDIA

Why in the news?
Recently, the Supreme Court in the Arun Muthuvel vs. Union of India case
(2023) protected women’s right to parenthood and struck down the 2023
amendment to Surrogacy (Regulation) Rules, 2022.
More on the news
• In March 2023, the government notified amendments which banned
the use of donor gametes.
o The amendment mandated that both male and female gametes
(sperm and egg respectively) must come from intending couples
for the process of surrogacy.
• In this case, the woman suffering from Mayer-Rokitansky-Kuster-
Hauser (MRKH) syndrome had challenged the 2023 amendment as
the petitioner woman has absent ovaries and uterus; hence she cannot donate her eggs for surrogacy.
bout Surrogacy and its types
• Surrogacy is a practice whereby one woman bears and gives birth to a child for an intending couple.

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 o Intending couple means a couple who have a
medical indication necessitating gestational
surrogacy and who intend to become parents
through surrogacy.
o Gestational surrogacy is a practice whereby a
surrogate mother carries a child for the intending
couple through the implantation of an embryo in
her womb and the child is not genetically related
to the surrogate mother.
• Type of surrogacy
o Altruistic surrogacy: It involves no monetary
compensation to the surrogate mother other
than the medical expenses and insurance
coverage during the pregnancy.
o Commercial surrogacy: It includes surrogacy, or
its related procedures undertaken for a monetary
benefit or reward (in cash or kind) exceeding the
basic medical expenses and insurance coverage.
• Government banned surrogacy for foreign nationals
in 2015.
Supreme Court observations in Arun Muthuvel V. Union of India Case
• Supreme Court stayed the operation of Rule 7 of the Surrogacy (Regulation) Act, 2021, to allow a woman suffering
from MRKH Syndrome to undergo surrogacy using a donor egg.
o Rule 7 of the Surrogacy Act banned the use of donor eggs for the procedure.
• Supreme Court said that the 2023 amendment cannot contradict Rule 14(a) of Surrogacy Regulation Rules, 2022,
which specifically recognises the absence of a uterus or any allied condition as a medical Indication necessitating
gestational surrogacy.
o Centre said that the use of donor eggs cannot be done, as the process of surrogacy cannot be availed under
the law unless the child was “genetically related” to the intending couple.
o In this regard, SC held that the expression ‘genetically related’ to the intending couple has to be read as being
related to the husband when Rule 14(a) applies.
• The Court also noted that the law permitting gestational surrogacy was “woman-centric” and the decision to have
a surrogate child was entirely based on the woman’s inability to become a mother.
o However, the Court was of the view that before deciding the matter, it must obtain appropriate medical opinion
and thus directed the concerned District Medical Board to certify whether the woman was in a position to
produce eggs or not, due to MRKH syndrome.
Surrogacy Laws in India
• Surrogacy (Regulation) Act, 2021 (Surrogacy Act 2021)
o Only altruistic surrogacy is allowed and penalises commercial surrogacy.
o Establish National Assisted Reproductive Technology and Surrogacy Board (NARTSB) to review and monitor the
implementation of the Act, supervise functioning of State ARTSB (SARTSB), etc.
o Eligibility criteria for surrogate mother:
✓ a married woman having a child of her own, and 25 to 35 years old;
✓ a surrogate only once in her lifetime;
✓ possess a certificate of medical and psychological fitness for surrogacy.
o Eligibility criteria for couples:
✓ if they have been married for five years, wife is aged between 25-50 years and husband is between 26-55 years.
✓ Couple must not have any living child (biological, adopted or surrogate).
✓ Should have ‘essential’ certificate if suffering from proven infertility of either partner certified by a District Medical
Board, and an order of parentage and custody of the surrogate child, passed by a Magistrate’s court.
✓ Insurance coverage for 16 months for the surrogate mother, covering any postpartum complications.
o Abortion of surrogate child requires written consent of surrogate mother and authorisation of appropriate authority.
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 ✓ This authorisation must be compliant with Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, 1971.
• Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulation) Act, 2021 (ART Act)
o It aims to regulate and supervise ART clinics and banks, prevent its misuse and ensure safe and ethical practice of ART
services for addressing the issues of reproductive health.
o It brings into its ambit the treatment of surrogacy and hence ensures protection of the rights of surrogate mothers.
• Other key provisions of Surrogacy (Regulation) Rules, 2022:
o Number of attempts of any surrogacy procedure on surrogate mother shall not be more than 3 times.
o A surrogate mother may be allowed for abortion during surrogacy in accordance with Medical Termination of Pregnancy
Act, 1971.
o Intending woman or couple shall purchase a general health insurance coverage in favour of surrogate mother for a
period of 36 months from an insurance company or an agent recognized by Insurance Regulatory and Development
Authority (IRDAI).
Challenges associated with Surrogacy Regulation Ecosystem
• Lack of re-course: Surrogate mother and the intending couple are required to obtain certificates of eligibility and
essentiality upon fulfilling various conditions for the surrogacy process. However, no process has been specified to
review or appeal in case the surrogacy applications are rejected.
• Conflicting laws: Surrogacy (Regulation) Act 2021 prohibits the storage of embryos and gametes for the purpose of
surrogacy in contrast to ICMR National Guidelines for Accreditation, Supervision and Regulation of ART Clinics in
India (2005) which allow storage for five years.
• Ambiguity: Surrogate mother must be from the intending couple’s close
relatives. However, there is a lack of clarity as to who constitutes as close
relatives.
• Right to Privacy: In India, surrogacy is still seen as an unethical and
unnatural form of childbirth. There is a lack of standard procedure for
ensuring the privacy of the intending couple and surrogate which might
lead to embarrassment.
• Lack of clarity in infertility definition: Surrogacy (Regulation) Act 2021
defines infertility as an inability to conceive after five years of unprotected
coitus or other medical condition preventing a couple from conception.
o However, the definition does not cover cases such as inability to carry a child for 9 months, multiple fibroids in
the uterus etc. in which a couple is unable to bear a child.
Way forward
• Navigating Social stigma: Given the stigma surrounding infertility, additional efforts can be taken to ensure the
privacy of associated parties.
• Awareness: To eliminate the exploitation of surrogate mothers they need to be made aware of their rights and the
associated risks to gain their informed consent.
o For example, surrogates should be made aware of the rare intrapartum and postpartum complications by the
delivering physician and hospital.
• Clarity: There is a need to clearly define terms such as close relatives, infertility etc. Also, the definition of infertility
should be expanded to take into account the medical factors, and diseases of the intended parents.
• Grievance Redressal: A redressal mechanism should be created highlighting the process of review or appeal in case
the surrogacy application is rejected.
6.6. NEWS IN SHORTS
6.6.1. JAL DIWALI o
Phase I shall witness participation from all States/
UTs, except for Chhattisgarh, Mizoram, Madhya
• Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Telangana.
launched Jal Diwali -"Women for Water, Water for • Campaign aims to provide a platform for inclusion of
Women Campaign". women in water governance by-
• It was launched under Atal Mission for Rejuvenation o Providing knowledge about water treatment
and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) in partnership processes through visits to Water Treatment
with National Urban Livelihood Mission (NULM). Plants.
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 oProviding insight into water quality testing ○ Socio-cultural hindrance: Women's complaints,
protocols and ensures quality water delivery to like dowry issues, can be seen as a threat to
citizens. societal norms and marriage.
o Instilling a sense of ownership and belonging ✓ Gender disparities in education and workforce
among women towards water infrastructure. participation can affect access to justice.
• Role of women in water governance ○ Single-stage policy intervention: Policy like
o Responsible for collecting and managing water creating more police stations, fast-track courts,
needs for domestic purposes like cooking food, etc. may not address these disparities.
drinking etc. • Recommendations: Charting multi-stage
o Ensure hygiene and good sanitary conditions to discrimination as it helps identify how disparities
prevent water borne diseases like cholera. accumulate and where problems occur.
o Utilize their traditional knowledge about water
resource w.r.t. quality, reliability and acceptable
storage methods.
• AMRUT was launched by MoHUA in 2015 in 500 cities
and towns for developing basic infrastructure in water
supply sectors; storm water drainage; green spaces
and parks etc.
o AMRUT 2.0 (2021-22 to 2025-26) provides
universal coverage of water supply through
functional taps in all households.
Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana- National Urban Livelihood
Mission (DAY- NULM)
• It is a centrally sponsored scheme launched by
MoHUA in 2013.
• It aims to reduce poverty and vulnerability of urban
poor households by enabling them to access gainful
self-employment and skilled wage employment
opportunities.

6.6.2. GENDER DISCRIMINATION IN

JUDICIAL PROCESSES
• A pioneering study by a London School of Economics
professor found discrimination against women at 6.6.3. TRANSGENDER IN SPORTS
every stage of police and judicial processes. • International Cricket Council (ICC) banned
○ As per the study from filing FIRs to convictions, transgender players from international women's
women's cases tend to lag longer than men in cricket.
India.
• The ICC has barred cricketers who experienced male
• Key highlights puberty from international women's games,
○ Reduced Burdens for Men: Men who file cases on regardless of surgery or gender reassignment
behalf of a female face fewer "burdens or treatment.
exclusions" than a woman complainant. o ICC is the global governing body for cricket,
○ Extended wait for VaW Cases: Registration of FIR headquartered in Dubai, UAE.
for Violence against women (VaW) cases are
• Gender reassignment surgery, sometimes called sex
delayed 2 hours longer than other complaint.
reassignment surgery, is performed to transition
○ Conviction Disparities: Women's complaints are
individuals with gender dysphoria to their desired
less likely to proceed from police to the judiciary.
gender.
✓ Also, conviction rate is 5% for female
• ICC’s new policy is based on the following principles (in
complainants compared to 17.9% for male
order of priority) i.e.,
complainants.
o protection of the integrity of the women's game,
○ Misuse notion: Conviction disparities are due to
safety, fairness, and inclusion.
notion that women often misuse protective
legislation Domestic Violence Act or rape laws,
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• Debate around allowing transgenders in sports: • Key findings of the report
o It centers around the balance of inclusion, sporting o Over 60% of countries have mechanisms to
fairness, and safety in women’s sports. promote and protect the rights of older people.
o Physiological differences established during o The percentage of countries with national
puberty can create significant performance programmes to support the activities of the WHO
advantages Global Network for Age-friendly Cities and
• Rules governing transgender persons in sports vary by Communities has increased.
organization, For example; o Resources for work towards healthy ageing
o As per World Athletics (WA), Differences in sex remain limited, and more commitment and
development (DSD) athletes must keep their investment are crucial.
testosterone be 2.5 nmol/L for 24 months to o Concerted and accelerated action is needed to
participate in the female category across events. support healthy ageing in low- and middle-
✓ DSD is a condition when an individual’s income countries, where 80% of the world’s older
physical sex traits don’t match typical male or population will live by 2050.
female development.
For more details on Ageing Population in India, kindly
✓ Testosterone boosts athletic performance by
refer to the Article 6.4 of October 2023 edition of the
increasing muscle mass, strength, and
Monthly Current Affairs Magazine.
hemoglobin levels.
o World governing bodies for cycling (UCI) and 6.6.5. REGULATION OF FHEIS IN INDIA
swimming (FINA) and World Rugby barred trans
women from competing in women’s events. • UGC (Setting up and Operation of Campuses of Foreign
o International Olympic Committee, placing Higher Educational Institutions (FHEIs) in India)
responsibility on individual federations to Regulations, 2023 Notified.
determine eligibility criteria in their sport for • University Grants Commission (UGC)’s regulation aims
transgender people. to facilitate the entry of FHEIs into India, in line with
the recommendations of National Education Policy
6.6.4. HEALTHY AGEING (NEP) 2020.
• Key highlights of regulations:
• WHO and UN partners have launched the first UN
o Approval: FHEIs require UGC’s approval before
Decade of Healthy Ageing progress report which
establishment of Indian campuses, offer any
charts efforts to improve the lives of older people since
programme, and discontinue any course or
2020.
programme.
• The United Nations Decade of Healthy Ageing (2021–
✓ Not allowed to offer Programme which is
2030) is a global collaboration to improve the lives of
contrary to the standards of higher education
older people, their families, and the communities in
in India.
which they live.
o Eligibility: FHEIs ranked within top 500 in global
o The Decade builds on global commitments,
rankings either in overall category or in subject-
including WHO’s Global strategy and action plan
wise category or possessing outstanding expertise
on ageing and health (2016–2030) and the Madrid
in a particular area.
International Plan of Action on Ageing (2002)
o Qualifications: Qualifications awarded and quality
of education in Indian campuses shall be
equivalent to those awarded in their home
jurisdiction.
✓ FHEIs cannot offer programmes in online or in
open and distance learning modes.
o Autonomy: Allowed to decide admission process
and criteria, recruit faculty and staff, and decide a
transparent and reasonable fee structure.
o Restrictions: FHEIs’ Operation shall not be contrary
to sovereignty and integrity of India, security of
State, friendly relations with foreign States, public
order, decency, or morality.

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 ✓ For receiving donations from foreign source, o Cybercrimes facilitated by social media platforms:
FHEIs require prior permission of Central Phishing, scams, fake profiles, cyber-harassment
Government. etc.
o Cybercrimes advertised on social media
platforms: Advertising for stolen credit cards,
video tutorials of unlawful acts, etc.
• Reasons for Social Media’s Vulnerability to
Cybercrimes
o Cybercriminals use internal information for social
engineering attacks like data theft, etc.
o Data Aggregation through quizzes provides
cybercriminals with information to achieve
unauthorized access to respondents’ accounts.
o Unsecured Portable Devices like mobiles have risk
of information being stolen from lost devices.
o Popularity and high usage. On an average, Indian
spends 194 minutes daily on social media
platforms.
• Measures to reduce Social Media Cyber-risks: Know
how to report, block, and filter content; Turn off geo-
6.6.6. SATHEE location; Use private Internet connection, etc.

• Ministry of Education (MoE) asked States to encourage

use of online coaching platform SATHEE (Self
Assessment Test and Help for Entrance Exams).
• About SATHEE
o It is an initiative by the MoE in association with IIT-
Kanpur.
o It is an open learning and assessment platform
available to students at no cost.
o It uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) to interact with
students, and can be customised to each student’s
pace of learning.

6.6.7. SOCIAL MEDIA AND SOCIAL

HARMONY
• Nepal banned social media app TikTok citing
disruption to social harmony.
• Earlier, TikTok was banned in India, Australia, EU, USA,
Belgium etc.
• Social media is a collective term for websites and
applications like Instagram, WhatsApp, TikTok, Twitter
that focus on communication, content-sharing and
collaboration.
o At the beginning of 2023, there were 398 million
social media users in India.
o As per MeitY, India witnessed 13.91 Lakh cyber-
security incidents in 2022.
• Social media cybercrime are classified into
o Cybercrimes targeting social media users: Privacy-
violating crimes, account hijacking etc.

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6.6.8. SOCIAL MEDIA AND CONSUMER o Electronic word of mouth: Customer reviews help
consumers in their purchasing decisions.
BEHAVIOUR
• Associated Concerns: Impulsive buying behavior,
• A recent report titled “Meta GWI Beauty Report 2023” targeted advertisements, increased debt and financial
highlighted that Facebook, Instagram reels influenced stress, environmental degradation due to excessive
80% of Indians to purchase beauty products. consumerism, violation of privacy through consumer
• How Social Media influence consumer behavior? profiling, etc.
o Discovery of new products: 47% of surveyed • Way forward
consumers discovered new products through o Transparency: Social Media platforms should
social media reels. provide clear information on content curation,
o Shift in consumer preferences: 15% increase in moderation, and algorithms.
online purchases post-pandemic by beauty buyers o Strengthen anti-trust rules: For both platform
which currently stands at 68%. providers and Social Media influencers.
o Evaluation of alternatives: Virtual try-outs through o Disclosure of material interests by Social Media
Augmented Reality and other related technologies. influencers: In January 2023, Department of
o Buyer socialization: Correspondence among Consumer Affairs released endorsement
buyers influences their psychological, full of feeling guidelines for celebrities and Social Media
and conduct mentalities. influencers.

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6. SOCIAL ISSUES
6.1. EMERGING TECHNOLOGY AND CASTE IDENTITIES IN INDIA
Why in the news?
Recently, there have been many instances of caste-based discrimination emerging out of the use of technology and also
in the representation of marginalized caste groups in the tech workforce.
Social Identity and Role of Caste in India
• Social Identity: Social identity refers to people's self-categorizations concerning their group memberships (the
“we”). These categorizations are often assigned to us or something we are born into, such as caste, gender, ethnicity
etc.
• Caste system: It is the division of society based on socio-religious norms and hierarchy passed down through families
for generations.
• Caste disparities: Disadvantaged caste groups face discrimination in terms of “inequality of opportunity” and
“inequality of outcome”.
o A study by Jawaharlal Nehru University’s Centre for Study of Social Exclusion and Inclusive Policy says
approximately 27% of modern Indian families practice untouchability.
Emerging technologies and caste-based disparities
Technology has ameliorated the caste-based disparities by providing information access, educational opportunities, and
avenues for entrepreneurship.
However, it has also exacerbated issues through online harassment, potential biases in algorithms, and the promotion of
hate speech, highlighting a complex interplay between technology and caste dynamics in the country.
• Dominance of upper caste groups: According to a 2019 survey by Lokniti and CSDS, the appearance of Scheduled
Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) is less frequent on social media.
o Observer Research Foundation’s research report reveals that caste identities are reproduced, and caste norms
violations have increased on social media in India.
• Digital divide: There exists a large first-level (ownership and access to digital devices) and second-level (digital skills)
digital divide between the disadvantaged caste groups and others in India.
o Such a digital divide strengthens existing gaps in access to quality education, healthcare, employment
opportunities and restricts social mobilization.
• Algorithmic bias: Emerging technologies like artificial intelligence are often trained on historical data, which may
contain biases reflecting and amplifying caste-based biases.
o For instance, an AI-based predictive policing system will likely perpetuate the legacies of caste discrimination and
unjust criminalisation of marginalised communities.
• Workforce representation: Caste-based disparities are reflected in the underrepresentation of marginalized caste
groups in the technology workforce.
• Social stigma and segregation: Hate speech, derogatory comments, and online harassment targeting individuals from
specific castes can further contribute to social stigma and reinforce existing prejudices.
Emerging technologies have aggravated caste disparities in some domains. But it is not only a part of the problem, it can
be part of the solution as well.
Use of emerging technologies in addressing caste disparities
• Digital inclusion: Implement initiatives to bridge the digital divide by providing affordable and accessible technology
infrastructure, including internet connectivity, to marginalized social groups.
o This will improve access to education, healthcare services, financial services and employment opportunities.
• Political mobilization: Use of information networks such as social media platforms can be utilized to enhance political
participation and influence the decision-making of marginalized groups.
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• Access to resources: Affordable technology can enhance the access of disadvantaged groups to education, healthcare,
skill training and economic opportunities.
• Finance diversification: Emerging technology can enhance access to different kinds of financial resources required
for education, health needs and entrepreneurial efforts.
• Social awareness: Social media platforms and digital communication channels can be utilized to raise awareness
regarding caste-based discrimination, promote inclusivity and challenge stereotypes.
• Community empowerment: Digital platforms and the use of AI technologies can empower marginalized communities
by providing information, resources, and networking opportunities.
o For instance, AI use in case of atrocities can allay the issue of non-registration of cases, a simple mobile app can
just record the atrocity and notify all government machinery at the same time.
Way Forward: Rooting the idea of non-discrimination in Technology
We can reimagine Ambedkar’s vision of a casteless society within emerging technologies and apply the following to
annihilate caste in AI and Metaverse technologies-
• Recognize Caste Bias: Technology developers must be trained to recognise potential caste biases and recontextualise
datasets with socio-cultural values to mitigate algorithmic caste bias.
• Develop Fairness Metrics & Constraints: It is crucial to develop culturally contextual anti-caste fairness metrics and
constraints to eliminate caste bias.
• Promote Diversity and Inclusivity: Developers from vulnerable communities such as SC and ST should have
representation in leadership roles in the design, development, and deployment process.
• Meaningfully Support Marginalised Communities: It is crucial to allocate sufficient and appropriate funding to
promote inclusive AI.
• Eliminate Caste in AI: Anti-caste ethical guidelines for emerging technologies and their effective implementation.

6.2. SEXUAL HARASSMENT OF WOMEN AT WORKPLACE (PREVENTION,

PROHIBITION AND REDRESSAL) (POSH)ACT, 2013
Why in the News? Vishaka vs. State of Rajasthan (1997) judgement.
Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, • It created legally binding guidelines based on the
Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 completed 10 years. right to equality and dignity accorded under the
Indian Constitution.
About POSH Act • It included:
o A definition of sexual harassment.
• Consistent with the Vishaka judgment (1997), the Act aspires o Shifting accountability from individuals to
to ensure women’s right to workplace equality, free from institutions.
sexual harassment. o Prioritizing prevention.
Key Provisions of the Act o Provision of an innovative redress mechanism.

• Definitions
o Aggrieved Woman: It includes all women who work as regular, temporary, adhoc, or on daily wages basis, visiting
at workplaces and student.
o Workplace: Government organizations, NGOs, Houses, Private companies, educational institutions, farms etc.
o Sexual Harassment at Workplace: It Includes unwelcome acts such as physical contact and sexual advances, a
demand or request for sexual favours, making sexually coloured remarks, showing pornography etc.
• Responsibilities of Employers
o Organize workshops and awareness programs to sensitize employees about the provisions of the Act.
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 o Prepare an annual report providing details of the complaints received and action taken.
• Complaints Committees: All Complaints Committees must have atleast 50 per cent representation of women.
o Internal Complaints Committee (ICC): Employers are required to constitute an ICC at each workplace with to
receive and address complaints of sexual harassment.
o The Presiding Officer shall be a woman employed at a senior level at workplace from amongst the employees.
o Local Complaints Committee (LCC): Receive complaints from women working in an organisation having less than
10 workers.
• Procedure for Filing Complaints: Any aggrieved women may make in writing a complaint of sexual harassment to the
Internal committee/ Local Committee within 3 months (extendable by 3 months) from the date of incident.
• Penalties: If the employer fails to constitute an ICC or does not abide by any other provision, they must pay a fine of
up to ₹50,000, which increases for a repeat offence.
Achievements/Outcomes of POSH Act
• Increased Reporting: According to data published by the Ministry of Women and Child Development, Registered
cases have increased by 54% from 2014 to 2017.
• Women Empowerment: Legal protection under the act created a safer and more conducive working environment
for women, allowing them to exercise their rights.
• Increase Accountability of Employers: The Act places significant emphasis on the role of employers. It states that the
employer is responsible to create a safe working environment for the employees.
• Increased Awareness: Initiatives like “A Handbook and Training Module” of Women ministry on the POSH Acts
educated women employees about their rights.
Global Norms
Challenges in Implementation of the Act • UN Convention on the Elimination
• Non-constitution of ICC: As per Supreme court, many national sports of all Forms of Discrimination
federations in the country had not constituted an ICC to date. against Women (CEDAW),
o Also, in May 2023, the Supreme Court noted serious lapses and o It was adopted by the UN
uncertainty in the enforcement of the POSH Act by the internal General Assembly in 1979 and
has been ratified by India.
committee.
• International Labour Organization
• Lack of Monitoring: The government had told the Parliament in 2019 that (ILO) recognized right of domestic
it maintains no centralised data regarding cases of harassment of women workers, regarding protection
at workplaces. against all forms of abuse,
• Inaccessibility: Law is largely inaccessible to women workers in the informal harassment and violence.
sector, which employ more than 80% of India’s women.
• Underreporting: Fear of professional repercussions (loss of employment), requirement of concrete evidence etc.
• Lack of clarity in the law: About how to conduct such inquiries, lack of awareness in women employees about who
to approach in case of facing harassment, etc.
Way Forward
• The SC has issued certain directions to Union, States and UTs:
o To undertake a time-bound exercise to verify whether government organisations, authorities, public sector
undertakings, institutions, bodies, etc. had constituted complaint committees.
o Publish the details of their respective committees in their websites.
o Authorities/employers must regularly conduct orientation programmes, workshops, seminars and awareness
programmes to upskill members of committees.
• Implement technological solutions: For confidential reporting and case management, and ensuring that evidence is
securely documented.

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6.3. NEWS IN SHORTS
6.3.1. GLOBAL INITIATIVE OF ACADEMIC
NETWORKS (GIAN) PROGRAMME
• Centre has approved the rollout of the fourth phase of
the GIAN programme.
• About GIAN Programme
o Launch: The programme was launched in 2015
under Ministry of Education as a Joint Teaching
Program with reputed International Faculty.
o Purpose: Tapping the talent pool of scientists and
entrepreneurs internationally to encourage their
engagement with the institutes of Higher
Education in India.
o Eligibility: All Government (State or Central)
higher education Institutions / University which
are in top 200 in NIRF overall rankings and having
at least NAAC ‘A’ grade (3.0 and above).
o Benefits: The scheme connects India’s top
institutions and Central universities with global
faculty.
o Courses offered: Host Institute organise the course
after receiving approval.
✓ Course proposals (excluding tutorial/practical)
are expected to be
▪ 12-14 lecture hours (for 5- day duration) 6.3.2. REPORT ON GENDER-RELATED
▪ 24-28 lecture hours (for 10- day duration)
KILLINGS
✓ Courses lasting over 10 days but less than 2
months are allowed without any additional • Report titled Gender-Related Killings of Women and
financial support. Girls (Femicide/ Feminicide) is published by the United
✓ Funding: $ 8000 (for 5-day duration) and Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and UN
12000 $ ( for 10-day duration) are paid for Women
each course to support: • Femicide can broadly be defined as intentional killings
▪ travel and honorarium for the foreign committed on the grounds of gender-related factors.
faculty, o It includes the ideology of men’s entitlement and
▪ honorarium for the host faculty & local privilege over women, social norms regarding
coordinator, masculinity, and the need to assert male control
▪ video recording and or power, etc.
incidental/contingency expenses. • Key findings of the report
o National coordinator: IIT Kharagpur is the nodal o In 2022, about 88,900 women and girls were
institution and national coordination. homicide victims worldwide.
o Around 55% of total female homicide victims are
killed by family.
o In India deaths related to dowry, accusations of
witchcraft, and gender-related factors have been
slowly declining over the past decade.
• Recommendations:
o Address social norms at individual, community,
and institutional level,
o Provide victim support and assistance.
o Enable evidence-based comprehensive response.

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• Measures to check femicide in India o One member of SHGs who is well qualified and 18
o Commission of Sati (Prevention) Act, 1987 years (or, above) will be elected by State Rural
o Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961 Livelihood Mission and LFCs for 15-day training.
o Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956 o LFCs will act as a bridge between drone supplier
o Protection of Women from Domestic Violence companies and SHGs; and promote use of Nano
Act, 2005 Fertilizers such as Nano Urea and Nano DAP by
o Provisions under the Indian Penal Code [Section drones with SHGs.
376 (Rape), Section 304-B (Dowry death), etc.] • Significance of scheme
o Enabling women SHGs to earn additional income
of at least Rs. 1 lakh per annum;
o Infusing advance technology in agriculture for
improved efficiency;
o Enhance crop yield;
o Reduced cost of operation for benefit of farmers.

6.3.3. SCHEME FOR PROVIDING DRONES

TO WOMEN
• Cabinet approved Central Sector Scheme for providing
Drones to Women Self Help Groups (SHGs)
• Scheme aims to provide drones to 15,000 selected
Women SHGs during period 2023-24 to 2025-2026 for
providing rental services to farmers for agriculture
purpose.
o SHGs are made up of 15 - 25 members of similar
economic and social backgrounds who come
together to improve their living conditions.
• Highlights of scheme
o Approves holistic interventions by converging
resources and efforts of Department of
Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Department of
Rural Development and Department of Fertilizers,
Women SHGs and Lead Fertilizer Companies
(LFCs).
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6.3.4. REPORT ON ‘NATIONAL POLICY ON
CHILD LABOUR’
• Parliamentary Standing Committee Presented Report
‘National Policy on Child Labour- An Assessment’.
• Key Observations:
o Policy to eliminate child labour has to go a long
way to achieve target stipulated in Sustainable
Development Goal 8.7 (to end all forms of child
labour by 2025).
o Presence of ambiguity in the definition of child in
various legislations.
✓ Right of Children to Free and Compulsory
Education Act, 2009 defines child as a person
aged 6 to 14 years.
✓ Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of
Children) Act, 2015 defines child as a person
who has not completed 18 years of age.
o Two major hotspots of child labour and child
trafficking:
✓ Immigrants’ area who had come from Bengal
and Bangladesh, and tribal areas of Assam.
• Recommendations:
o Examination of the discrepancies in acts to
eradicate ambiguities between them.
✓ ILO sets minimum age for work at 15 years,
with exceptions for light work from the age of
13.
o In addition to three/four times increase in the
amount of fine, some stricter punishment in form 6.3.5. ANGANWADI PROTOCOL FOR
of cancellation of licence, attachment of property DIVYANG CHILDREN
etc.
• Ministry of Women & Child Development launched
o Responsibility of reporting children selling goods
the National Outreach Programme on the Anganwadi
or begging at traffic lights be assigned to the traffic
Protocol.
police.
• Protocol embodies a Social Model for Divyangjan
inclusive care under the POSHAN Abhiyan, with a step-
by-step approach:
o Screening for early disability signs
o Inclusion in community events and empowering
families
o Referral support via ASHA/ANM & Rashtriya Bal
Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK) teams.
• The protocol is in line with the National Curriculum
Framework for Foundational Stage 2022.

6.3.6. ERRATA
• In November 2023 Monthly Magazine, under Article
6.5. Surrogacy in India it was incorrectly mentioned
that
o Supreme Court stayed the operation of Rule 7 of
the Surrogacy (Regulation) Act, 2021, to allow a
woman suffering from MRKH Syndrome to
undergo surrogacy using a donor egg.
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 ✓ Rule 7 of the Surrogacy Act banned the use of banned the use of donor gametes (eggs and
donor eggs for the procedure. sperms) for the procedure.
o Correct information is: • In October 2023 Monthly Magazine, under 6.8. Child
✓ Supreme Court stayed the operation of Rule 7 Sexual Abuse Material, it was incorrectly mentioned
of the Surrogacy (Regulation) Rules, 2022, to that ‘NCRB received about 2.7 lakh reports of OCSAE
allow a woman suffering from MRKH from the National Centre for Missing and Exploited
Syndrome to undergo surrogacy using a donor Children (NCMEC) in 2020 alone.’
egg. o Correct information is ‘NCRB received about 27
✓ Rule 7 of the Surrogacy (Regulation) Rules, lakh reports of OCSAE from the National Centre
2022 as amended in 2023 through Surrogacy for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) in
(Regulation) Amendment Rules, 2023, 2020 alone.’

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